Theories of Counseling:

Multicultural Counseling

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 Multicultural Counseling

Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)

 All helping methods exist within a cultural context.

 MCT recognizes the differences among and within clients.

 Looks at how family and cultural factors affect one’s worldview.

 MCT came from the recognition that many theories were empirically validated
on white middle-class males and therefore may not work as well with people
who are from other diverse groups.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)

 Therapists strive to liberate clients from personal, social and economic

oppression.

 Clients are liberated from self-blame and shown how their problems often exist
in a social context.

 Independence is basic to philosophy and action in MCT.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Approaches to Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)
The Universal Approach:
 Culture is define in a broad, inclusive and universal way.
 Teaches about the danger of stereotyping.
 Emphasizes the importance of language and loyalty to one’s own cultural
group.
 Provides information about acculturation and oppression.
 Discusses the importance of gender roles.
 Facilitates identity development.
 Builds self-esteem and awareness.
 Facilitates understanding of worldview.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Approaches to Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)

The Focused Culture-Specific Approach:

 The counselor examines his or her own racial beliefs and attitudes.

 Discusses racially relevant topics and is willing to work on issues of oppression.

 The counselor views clients on two levels: Individual and as members of a

group.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT) as Metatheory

 MCT recognizes culture as an internalized, subjective perspective formed

against a backdrop of contrasting cultural backgrounds.

 Points out the importance in seeing the individual in context.

 It is concerned with cultural intentionality.

 Traditional theories are modified in ways that show respect for human diversity.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Nwachuku,s Theory for Generating Theory and Practice for other
Cultures Besides Your Own.

 Examine the culture in question: What are the important personal and
interpersonal aspects of this culture? Utilize field research, interviews and
anthropological readings.

 Identify concrete skills and strategies that can be used in helping.

 Test the new helping theory and its skills.

 This framework can be applied to a variety of cultural contexts.

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 Multicultural Counseling
The Microskill of Focusing and MCT

 An individually balanced focus among individual, family and cultural

expectations is needed when counseling clients from various cultures.

 A significant part of any session needs to address the issues of significant

others, and cultural, environmental and contextual issues.

 Self-in relation to, connectedness, relationship and interdependence all need to

be considered.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Introspective Developmental Counseling

 Naikan Therapy: Is aimed at assisting clients in finding meaning in their

lives and in repairing damaged relationships. It moves the client from self-
centeredness to awareness of interpersonal relationships.

 Introspective Developmental Counseling and Life Review: Tamase’s work

combines Eastern and Western frameworks. Erikson’s has received
criticism because it is grounded on a Northern European, U.S. white male
model.

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 Multicultural Counseling
The Integrative Life Pattern Model

 This is a decisional counseling model that raises a person’s awareness of

multicultural issues.
 A lifelong pattern of identifying our primary needs, roles and goals and
integrating these within ourselves, our work and our family.
 Clients make decisions about their total development: Physical, intellectual,
social/emotional, vocational, sexual etc.
 Four major life roles: Loving, learning, labor and leisure.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Cultural Identity Development Theory

 This is a cognitive, emotional and behavioral progression through stages of

awareness and involves different attitudes towards oneself at the different
stages.
 Generally the stages are:

 Awareness of self as a cultural being.

 Encounter with cultural issues.
 Naming of these cultural issues.
 Reflection on the meaning of self as a cultural being.
 Internalization about self-in-system.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Constructing Culturally Appropriate Techniques and Strategies

 Implies a nonhierarchical relationship between counselor and client.

 Counselors modify their techniques and strategies to fit the client rather
than making the client fit the therapy.

 Takes into consideration that what may be appropriate for one client in
one cultural context may be inappropriate for another client in another
cultural context.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Feminist Therapy as an Example

Feminist therapy utilizes:

Egalitarian relationships Active, participatory counseling

Pluralism style
An external emphasis Information giving
Use of community resources Personal validation

 Adds the concept of “power” missing in other theories.

 Works within a community context.

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 Multicultural Counseling
MCT Practice and Multiple Helping Roles

Network Therapy:

 Integrates community relationships and community into family therapy.

 Can include the nuclear family, extended family, important neighbors, and key
figures from the community (priest, teacher, the police etc.)

 One focus is to help the client build meaningful community and interpersonal
relationships to foster positive mental well-being.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Points to Remember with Network Therapy

 Don’t expect to do it all yourself. Network therapy utilizes a treatment team.

 Use multiple theoretical approaches. Different theories may be beneficial at

different times with the same client.

 Consider the value of network treatment for all clients. People do not live in
vacuums and their issues or problems affect others around them.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Family Therapy and Multicultural Issues
 The multicultural treatment of choice is often family therapy.
 Family is defined culturally and the roles, relationships and rules can be different
among and between cultures.
 Cultural expectations play a role in every family and group experience.
 A significant component of our self-concept is derived from our ethnic heritage.
 Ethnic heritage also can shape our attitudes and beliefs.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Traditional Healing

 Usually based on the epistemology and belief system of the culture.

 Counselors may sometimes need to work with traditional healers (e.g. a

medicine man) in order to best serve the client.

 Traditional healers have always included family and the larger community in
treatment. As Western theories begin to do so also, these two approaches are
becoming closer.

 It is important not to adopt traditional practices without first consulting with the
host culture to show the proper respect for their traditions.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Liberation of Consciousness: Self-in-Relation
Freire’s Five Levels of Consciousness:

 Naïve consciousness: Blame for oneself for one’s condition.

 Identification with the oppressor: The oppressed find within the oppressor
their model of “personhood.”
 Anger: As one discovers one’s level of oppression, one becomes angry.
 Reflection on the self as a cultural being: This leads to action.
 Sees self-in-system: Personal identity is made by the self in relation to…

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 Multicultural Counseling
Multicultural Respect

Religion/Spirituality Economic Class

Sexuality Identity Psychological Maturity
Ethnic/Racial Identity Chronological Challenges
Trauma Family History
Language Unique Psychical Characteristics
Location of Residence

Identify your own level of cultural identity in relationship to each of the

above concepts.

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 Multicultural Counseling
The Foundational Concepts of Empathy and Multicultural Competence

 Acceptance is the foundation of empathy.

 The feelings you experience within yourself are the key to your own degree of
acceptance toward others.
 Roger’s core conditions form the backbone for empathic relationships.
 Counselors need to be aware of their own cultural values and beliefs.
 Counselors need to be aware of their client’s worldview.
 Counselors need to use culturally appropriate intervention strategies.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Relating Educational Method to Counseling Theory and Practice

 Inviting a narrative.

 Reexperiencing the sensory dimensions of cultural identity issues.

 Making the narrative concrete and specific.

 Moving to a reflective consciousness.

 Seeing self-in-relation or self-in-system.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Limitations of Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)

 The counselor needs to be highly competent in traditional theory.

 The counselor needs to have a in-depth understanding of MCT metatheory.
 The counselor needs to develop a knowledge of many different cultures.
 There is a small research base on MCT
 It challenges traditional therapies.
 It can be difficult for practicing counselors to incorporate it.

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 Multicultural Counseling
Strengths of Multicultural Counseling and Theory (MCT)

 It is a theoretical orientation in and of itself.

 It provides a framework to address the needs of the culturally different and

provides an alternative to theories empirically validated on white, middle-
class males.

 Numerous interventions can be applied through this approach.

 It is flexible and considers the needs of the individual in relationship to the

community.

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 Resources

Ivey, A. E., D’Andrea, M., Ivey, M. B. and Morgan, L. S. (2002). Theories of counseling
and psychotherapy: A multicultural perspective, 5th ed. Boston, MA.: Allyn &
Bacon.

James, R. K. & Gilliland, B. E. (2003). Theories and strategies in counseling and

psychotherapy, 5th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Kottler, J. A. (2002). Theories in counseling and therapy: An experiential approach.

Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

“Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2004”