Cultural Competence In Counseling

Imagine going to see a therapist for the first time as a minority. From the perspective of the client the decision to see a therapist can potentially cause anxiety, nervousness, and doubts. A culturally competent counselor will most likely have the skills, tools, empathy and understanding to be able help ease their clients concerns and establish a productive client-therapist relationship. To be discussed in this paper, is the importance of a culturally competent assessment. The case study of Mrs. Hudson a Haitian American female, presenting to counseling with issues will also be discussed.

Culturally Relevant Assessment of Mrs. Hudson’s Culture
Counselors who utilize the Cultural Formulation Interview assessment tool (CFI) will discover
However, some individuals may also perceive questions about their religion as intrusive (Hayes, 2016). The Haitian culture is dedicated and grounded in their religion and spirituality. Approximately 80% of Haitians identify as Catholic and 20% as Protestant (State University of New York, n.d.). Furthermore, many Haitian practice Voodoo along with their faith (Desrosiers & St. Fleurose, 2002). Due to their distrusting nature, a client may not want to reveal this type of information for fear of judgement. It is also important for the counselor to have knowledge of their clients’ historical cultural origins and background. That knowledge can serve to provide an understanding to the counselor if the client appears to be resistance to opening to the
Hudson, Haitians are historically distrusting of authorities and professionals due to the ongoing oppression and exploitation of the Haitian culture (State University of New York, n.d.). This type of information can prepare the counselor to think of other ways to connect with their client. For counselors it is necessary to realize that becoming a culturally competent counselor is a lifelong process. It is significant for the counselor to step out of their comfort zone and broaden their knowledge about different cultures (Heppner, 2006). A clients’ worldview, beliefs and values must always be respected when conducting the assessment. There are additional cultural factors that are necessary in completing a culturally competent assessment. Factors such as the client’s socio-economic status, family structure, life-cycle stages, legal systems are additional cultural factors that should be addressed during the clients’ clinical assessment (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).