3
Multicultural Counseling Competence for
Chapter Objectives
1. Learn the importance of cultural competence and cultural humility for trainees of color, and other marginalized group trainees.
2. Identify the major obstacles that prevent honest dialogue between and among groups of color and other socially marginalized group members.
3. Describe the common stereotypes that people of color have toward one another.
4. Learn how the historical relationships between groups of color affect their current attitudes toward one another.
5. Identify group differences that may serve as barriers to multicultural counseling.
6. Become aware of how attitudes and beliefs between groups of color can interfere with interracial and interethnic counseling.
7. Identify therapeutic barriers likely to arise between a counselor of color and a White client.
8. Identify therapeutic barriers likely to arise
between a counselor of color and a client of color.
As a professor of color who has taught many courses on multicultural counseling and therapy (MCT) and conducted
numerous workshops on race relations, I [Derald Sue] have always been aware that my teaching and training were primarily directed at educating White trainees and counselors to their own biases and assumptions about human behavior. I operated from the assumption that people of color knew much of the material on oppression,
discrimination, and stereotyping. After all, I reasoned, we were members of the oppressed group and had experiential knowledge of how racism harmed us.
Additionally, there is legitimacy as to why greater emphasis has been placed on the education of White trainees: (a) the majority of
counseling and mental health providers are White or members of the majority group; (b) the theories and practices of counseling/therapy arise from a predominantly White, Western perspective and form the educational foundations of our graduate programs; and (c) White, male, and straight EuroAmericans continue to control and hold power in being able to determine the definitions of normality and abnormality and to define mental health reality for marginalized groups. Even if counselors and therapists of color work with other culturally diverse groups, they are generally educated in White, Western ways of describing, explaining, diagnosing, and treating mental disorders. Thus, there is great justification for continuing to focus primarily upon the education and training of those who control the gateways to the delivery of mental health services to socially
devalued client populations.
Yet, even in the face of these legitimate reasons, in the back of my mind, I knew that I was shortchanging my trainees of color. I knew that although they most likely had experiential knowledge about the harms of racism, they had biases and prejudices toward one another.
I also knew that oftentimes their strong negative reactions toward White fellow students (albeit often justified) could prevent their
development toward cultural competence (Ratts & Pedersen, 2014). I understood that much of my trepidation in addressing interracial and interethnic relations had to do with presenting a united front among people of color, and I erroneously operated from a “common enemy” perspective (Sue, 2015). I recognized that by taking this stance, I was perpetuating the belief that only Whites needed to change. It was clear that avoiding broader discussions of interethnic relations blocked the ability of people of color to more deeply explore their own biased beliefs about their own group and one another.
With this realization, I became more active in addressing these issues in my classes and workshops, often pushing emotional hot buttons in some participants of color. The following journal entry made by a former African American student, “Briana,” illustrates this point.
I've been angry at Professor Sue for this whole semester. I wish that they would have had a Black professor teach the class. How could he possibly have given me a B− in the midterm [racial counseling lab course]? I'll bet the White students got better
grades. As a Black woman I know racism firsthand. They [White students] don't get it and still get better grades. And then we
have to keep this stupid journal so he [the professor] can have the TA help us process our feelings. I don't care if you read this
stupid journal or not … I know what I feel and why … Well, I'm angry and furious that you gave me a low grade … I'm angry at the White students who hide their racism and just say the right things in class. They are phonies. They are scared to death of me
… I just won't put up with their lies and I don't care if I make them cry …. I'm sure they think I'm just an angry Black woman
…
Why am I not getting an A in the course? I know why. It has to do with our role‐play last week. The class thought I should have been more empathetic with Sandy [Asian American female who played the role of a client]. They said I couldn't relate to her and didn't explore her feelings of discrimination as an Asian. Well, I did. But you can't tell me that she suffers like Blacks do. I felt like saying … good, now you know what it feels like!!!! …
Then, Dr. Sue had to stop us from continuing and made process observations. He said I seemed to have difficulty being empathic with the client and believing her. What does he know? How does he know what's going on inside my head? But truth be told,
Sandy doesn't have anything to complain or whine about. She doesn't understand what discrimination really is … maybe she has been treated poorly … but … but … well, I don't consider Asians people of color anyway. How can they claim to be
oppressed when they are so successful? On this campus, they are everywhere, taking slots away from us. Sometimes I think they are whiter than Whites. I'll probably get an even worst grade because of what I'm saying, but who cares.
Video 3.0: Introduction
Select the video link to view an introduction to the counseling session by Dr. Joel Filmore.