Gender and Cultural Issues in the Counselling Process - Essay Example

Gender and Cultural Issues in the Counselling Process Introduction Counselling is one endeavour where human interaction can develop into a close onebecause of the breadth and depth of issues that are disclosed, unearthed and analysed in the sessions. Counsellors or therapists must be thoroughly trained to handle their clients in a sensitive manner in order to gain their trust and build the necessary rapport for them to open up their problems, issues and concerns so solutions can be planned together and implemented. However, no matter how well-trained a counsellor or therapist is, it cannot be helped that he himself may have his own personal biases and issues that may crop up during sessions with some particular clients. Sometimes, there is something in the client that influences the counsellor’s unconscious feelings which may interfere with the counselling process. This is known as countertransference. For most psychologists, countertransference keeps the sessions from being objective, and must be controlled. Bethan et al. (2005) and other contemporary therapists, however, propose that such countertransference may not be all that bad. They may even have diagnostic and therapeutic relevance which may facilitate rather than inhibit the treatment of the client. This paper will discuss how gender or/and ethnic differences can become an issue in the counselling relationship. The example will be the case of an Asian American woman client engaging the professional counselling service of a Caucasian male therapist. Main Body In therapy, being able to trust a counsellor by divulging deeply personal issues may involve the development of some attachment to him or her. This theory was first popularized by Freud as his most important clinical discovery and was termed it as transference (Luborsky & Crits-Christoph, 1998). Transference is defined as: the client’s experience of the therapist that is shaped by the client’s own psychological structures and past and involves displacement, onto the therapist, of feelings, attitudes and behaviours belonging rightfully in earlier significant relationship’’ (Gelso & Hayes, 1998, p. 51). However, in some cases, it is the counsellor that is affected by some characteristics of the client. For example, the counselling relationship between a male therapist and a woman client may initially be awkward due to inherent gender differences between them. It is also possible that there is initial sexual tension that may lead to attraction which very well influences the interaction ( Pope, Keith-Spiegel & Tabachnick, 2006). The nature of a counselling relationship being close and possibly intimate due to all the deep personal issues that surface may bring about tendencies for more attraction between them and even dependence. Pope et al (2006) contend that within the psychoanalytic framework, such attraction may result from the client’s transference. Incidentally, Kernberg (1975) cites the classical definition of countertransference, particularly relevant to this example as “the unconscious reaction of the psychoanalyst to the patient’s transference” (p. 50). However, Freud explained that the therapist must understand that the client’s transference in a clinical setting is not equal to the experience of “falling in love” outside the context of the counselling session. Durre (1980) warns against giving in to such attraction and letting it develop into something more because “amatory and sexual interaction between client and therapist dooms the potential for successful therapy and is detrimental if not devastating to the client” (p. 243). This gender countertransference may be aggravated by the differences in cultural backgrounds. A White male counsellor dealing with a non-white client may trigger in the counsellor a sense of superiority. McIntosh (1990) explained the “White privilege” theory which is an unconscious state of mind of Caucasian therapists that is triggered when they encounter clients of a different cultural background. This concept suggests that the white race claims superiority over other races and in the case of the therapist, the fact that he is a man further strengthens the claim of dominance over a non-white woman. The therapist should keep an open mind and control pre-conceived notions about his client. Countertransference issues may affect more the clients who are insecure and with low self-esteem due to their gender and cultural background (Ho, 1995). In the case of an Asian American woman who has struggled to keep herself standing despite the discrimination she may have experienced in her life, stereotypes may have been pinned on her from the time she was a child. English and English (1958) define stereotype as “a relatively rigid and oversimplified or biased perception or conception of an aspect of reality, especially of persons or social groups” (p. 523). One example for Asian Americans is being passive followers who have no courage to voice out their opinions (Phinney, 1996), hence, they are easy to push around. Steele (1997) explains that stereotype threat is an external factor that greatly affects an individual’s confidence about his own abilities due to his identification with the domain and the resulting image it projects about him. Being aware of that, the counsellor or therapist should present to the client that he is non-judgmental and that in the counselling sessions, she will not be subject to any stereotype. Findings from research show that Asian Americans are typically subdued and obedient, and try to maintain harmony in relationships usually through submitting to the interest of others over one’s own (Phinney, 1996; Uba, 1994). They have the tendency to just agree with others despite their opposing views in order to maintain harmony and avoid confrontation. This validates the stereotype example given above. Knowing this countertransference information helps the counsellor understand why the Asian American client may tend to be quiet when she may disagree with him and encourage her to speak her mind out. Another fact about Asian Americans is that family is very important to them and so is their fulfilment of obligations. They are very clannish and not being able to come up to family expectations can bring them shame and dishonour (Phinney, 1996). Greene (1994) contends that Asian-Americans are known for “unquestioning obedience to one’s parents and their demand for conformity, consistent with the respect accorded elders and the sharp delineation of gender roles” (p. 245). Hence, if the Asian American client has done something to upset her parents and family members, this may cause her to wallow in shame and self-blame which can make her constantly guilty. One important consideration for this particular example is the client being a biencultured individual (Ho, 1995). Being Asian and American necessitates imbibing both cultures. Ho (1995) advises therapists to transcend their own internalized culture through self-introspection in order to steer free of culturocentrism and egocentrism. This makes them focus better on the client as an individual embedded with the influences of various cultures she encounters in her life. Gender and cultural characteristics may indeed affect the course of therapy when it becomes an issue for the counsellor or therapist to deal with. Hence, it is important for the counsellor or therapist to be aware of his own prejudices so he is better able to manage his own subjective biases that may prove to be detrimental to the healing process of the client that triggers his countertransference issues. Conclusion It is quite normal for people to have their own biases and preferences. That includes people who may be very different that one encounters every day. Each individual has his or her own unique qualities and not everything may be likeable to everyone. In counselling or therapy sessions, such biases may creep up and affect the counselling relationship between the counsellor/ therapist and the client or patient especially if the client possesses some qualities that trigger the counsellor’s own prejudices. One’s gender and cultural background are only two of the qualities that are subject to strong reactions from others due to the prevalence of various types of discrimination. Like in most cases, the success of therapy relies on the therapist or counsellor who is skilled enough to manage his own personal issues and keep them from being effective in the counselling process. In some cases where countertransference is experienced due to the gender or cultural background of the client, understanding of these reactions should be endeavoured as well as using these qualities of the client to further analyse his or her current situation. Having thorough knowledge about the client helps a counsellor or therapist come up with possible solutions or interventions that both he and the client can work on with confidence that these are the best suited for the client and the case concerned. It is therefore recommended that therapists and counsellors should be equipped with enough information, knowledge and skills about different backgrounds their clients may come from and their own countertransference factors that may affect their performance in the counselling session. Keeping their prejudices under control is one way to maintain the objectivity and integrity of the counselling process. Being so, it is more likely that the counselling becomes a more successful intervention for the client’s healing process. References Betan, E., Heim, A.K., Conklin,C.Z.& Westen, D. (2005) ‘Countertransference Phenomena and Personality Pathology in Clinical Practice: An Empirical Investigation’. American Journal of Psychiatry 162:890-898 Durre, L. (1980). Comparing romantic and therapeutic relationships. In K. S. Pope (Ed.), On love and loving: Psychological perspectives on the Nature and experience of romantic love (pp. 228–243).San Francisco: Jossey-Bass English, H. B. & English, A.C. (1958). A comprehensive dictionary of psychological and psychoanalytical terms: A guide to usage. New York: Longmans, Green Gelso, C. J., & Hayes, J. A. (1998). The psychotherapy relationship: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Wiley Greene, B. (1994) ‘Ethnic-minority lesbians and gay men: Mental health and treatment issues’, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62 (2), 243-251 Ho, D.Y.F. (1995) ‘Internalized culture, culturocentrism, and transcendence’, The Counseling Psychologist, 23 (1), 4-24. Kernberg, O. (1975). Borderline conditions and pathological narcissism. New York: Aronson Luborsky, L., & Crits-Christoph, P. (1990). Understanding transference: The CCRT method. New York: Basic Books McIntosh, P. (1990) ‘White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack.’ Independent School, 49 (2), 31-37. Pope, K.S., Keith-Spiegel, P. & Tabachnick, B.G. (2006) ‘Sexual Attraction to Clients: The Human Therapist and the (Sometimes) Inhuman Training System’, Training and Education in Professional Psychology,S (2) 96– 111 Phinney, J.S. (1996) ‘When we talk about American ethnic groups, what do we mean?’ American Psychologist, 51 (9), 918-927. Steele, C.M. (1997) ‘A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance’, American Psychologist, 52 (6), 613-629. Uba, L. (1994). Asian Americans: Personality patterns, identity, and mental Health,New York: Guilford Press Read More