Cultural Sensative Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Sensative Counseling - Essay Example 72). The ultimate goal is for the counselor to be â€Å"culturally sensitive† in that he/she â€Å"is aware of, shows recognition of, demonstrates some knowledge of, and expresses an interest in the client’s ethnic identity and cultural background† (Day 2008, p. 72). This is very important because conduct in one culture may be more distressing in another culture. For example, a Filipina student going against her parents’ choice of major may be more of an issue than for an American student. In other words, there is no universal prescription for dealing with all human beings’ problems (Day 2008, p. 72). Cultural sensitive interviews will help the counselor obtain the information necessary for narrowing the issues down to a specific culture. Therefore a cultural sensitive interview will begin by first determining the client’s first language. Language questions will seek to determine whether or not the client’s family or home speaks anothe r language or languages and what language or languages are used at home. The client’s feelings about whether his or her language is â€Å"standard English or nonstandard English† will also be queried at a cultural sensitive interview (Day 2008, p. 73). Secondly, the client will be questioned about family roles. Essentially, the counselor will attempt to determine what is expected of children within the family and how those expectations are modified throughout childhood to adulthood. Other questions about family roles will include information about whether or not adult children have to take care of their parents; the degree of authority that parents have over their adult children and adolescent children’s decisions; whether or not parents are strict and if the client follows their parents own â€Å"parenting style† (Day 2008, p. 73). The client will be questioned about sex/gender distinctions and roles. Specifically, the counselor attempts to determine cul tural beliefs relative to sexes and the degree to which those beliefs and distinctions are reflected within the client’s family. The counselor will also need to ascertain the client’s own feelings about those prescribed differences and roles. The counselor will also endeavor to obtain information about sexual orientation. More specifically, the counselor will attempt to determine the degree to which the client’s sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of others affects the client. Information about what the client learned about sexual orientation from the family and whether or not the client’s own concept of sexual orientation has been refuted (Day 2008, p. 73). Another area of query includea information about the client’s independence. Specifically, the counselor will be required to determine if the client firmly believes in â€Å"freedom from others’ influence†, or if co-dependence within the family or the community ranks highe r (Day 2008, p. 73). Questions about the spirituality and its influence on the client are also important. How the client’s culture defines success and how conflict is dealt with by the client’s culture are also important questions. Cultural and family history and its influence on the client are also important questions in a cultural sensitive interview. Questions about money, more specifically class status, economic objectives and the importance of wealth to the client’