Portfolio for Counseling the Latino Population - Coursework Example

Counseling for the Latino Population Counselling is a form of therapy that helps people reveal how they feel and how to eventually increase their quality of life. It is guidance which is given by experts, to help people deal with their problems and come to terms with their lives (Burnard, 1999). It is very important for the counsellors to understand the psychology and thinking of their patients, especially if their clients belong to a different ethnic group. Different ethnic groups have different set of values and varying outlooks towards life. What may be sacred for one ethnic group may not be for another. While a counselling session is underway, it is very important for the client to be able to trust the counsellor. Otherwise the client won’t be vocal about the problems he has, and thus the counselling session will be void (Gielin, Draguns & Fish, 2008). In order to be an effective counsellor for the Latino population, it is very important for the counsellor to either be a Latino or be sensitive to the Latino beliefs and values. The therapist should be well aware of the Latino culture and should possess knowledge about their population. Counselling is a field where the therapist interacts with the individuals. Every individual has a different problem which needs to be addressed differently (Repetto, 2002). In counselling, one strategy used for all approach is not workable. Having said so, it is important to note that people belonging to a certain ethnic background share some common traits. The Latinos are an ethnic group who value their family ties. They differ from the Americans in this regard, for them family and relatives form a very major part of their lives. Similarly Spanish speaking Latinos tend to be very formal when communicating with one another. Traits like these are very common in the Latino population. Thus, any counsellor who does not belong to the ethnic group should take great care and understand these values before conducting a therapy session (Clutter & Zubieta, 2009). The counselling method chosen by the counsellor depends a lot on the relationship between the counsellor and the client. It is very important for the counsellor to invest some time in rapport building so that the client can not only be at ease, but this situation will also provide the counsellor to get to know the client better (Tazeau, 2005). One tool that the counsellor can use to get to know the client better is the Reiss Motivation Profile. This tool was formed on the research that every human has 16 goals and needs, which are universal to the human race. But every person embraces and prioritizes these needs differently. This profile is used to assess the needs, values and lifestyle of the clients. Many of the problems arise in individuals’ lives because of the case of unmet needs. Unmet needs of an individual lead to frustration and dissatisfaction which can eventually lead to the need of a counselling session. The Reiss Motivation Profile helps counsellors identify the needs of their clients and provide them with a platform from which they can work further on to help the client deal with the problems in his life. For an initial assessment, the Reiss Motivation Profile would be an effective tool to use. It will help the counsellor to break the ice and get a head start on the session. Only by understanding the needs of their clients, will the counsellors be able to devise strategies on to carry out the therapy sessions and thus help their clients (Reiss, 2010). The Latinos give family a lot of importance. For them the entire family is one extremely important social unit, which not only includes parents and siblings but also the extended family. Children are taught to respect elders, where the elders care for the children a lot as well (Clutter & Zubieta, 2009). The parents are more protective of their children as compared to a white American. The children spend their lives living in a traditional environment, where the parents govern who the children will be friends with. Most of the times Latino children have to face hard economic conditions which force them to grow up too fast (CASCW, 2001). Hispanics and Latinos are a formal race. They tend to be very formal when communicating with each other, especially their elders. In addition to this, they also dress up formally as appearances are a matter of honour and dignity. They are not punctual at all as it is socially acceptable for Latinos to be late. Latinos are religious people whose lives are governed by the church. The church influences various aspects of their lives including community affairs. The way the church is a part of their everyday lives, Latinos give a spiritual meaning to their culture. Latinos pay special attention to learning and education. They would accept changes in the education system if the changes were made or implemented by one of their own. However, they value learners. The teachers pay attention to each of the students’ individual needs. By nature Latinos are an ethnic group that cares for their own people as well as others (Clutter & Zubieta, 2009). These values and systems are very different from the American culture and way of life. Thus, counsellors need to understand these in order to address the needs of their Latino clients. If Latino clients are treated like “non Latino whites”, the results can be devastating. Latino culture is a collective culture where people take pride in their family and traditions. Conducting one-on-one therapy sessions might make the client feel alienated in an unknown environment. In order to make these counselling sessions a success, it might be helpful if they are held in groups with other family members or a friend, whoever the client feels closer too. The nature of the session and the group will also depend on the reason an individual needs to be counselled (Falicov, 2000). For example, if a Latino woman is being counselled because she lost a baby recently, it might help to have her mother or sister or friend as part of the therapy session. This way the client will not feel alienated, even if the counsellor is a non-Latino. This method of counselling ensures that the members of the Latino population are comfortable in the setting so that they can open up about their emotions and worries. The fact that the counsellor will allow the client to choose the family member he wants to bring, will increase the client’s comfort level even further. If counselled alone, the Latino client might feel as if he is betraying his community and family by telling his deepest darkest secrets to a third person. Similarly, if a client is going to a therapist because of disturbing conditions at home, the client may feel guilty about narrating the personal family problems to a third person, the counsellor. If a loved one is present, the client’s feeling of guilt and betrayal might be lessened. The presence of a loved one or a family member will help the client realize that what he is doing is not wrong and he is only doing this to get help. In addition to this, the presence of another person will give a new perspective about the situation to the counsellor. If the counsellor is a non Latino, it is very important for the counsellor to understand the Latino culture. Reading and research can only help this much. If a third person is present in a therapy session, the counsellor might be better able to understand the culture and lifestyles of these people and will be able to devise a plan which is more suited to the needs of that particular client. As mentioned before, the family is a social support system in the Latino culture. Latinos value their families a lot and for them family is a mean of providing support in times of need. Even though family is given such a high status in the Latino culture, at times family might be the factor which pushes Latinos, especially the youth, towards violence and crime. Many at times disturbances in family life and instability can lead to kids being attracted to violence and crime. In such cases it is very important for the counsellors to tread very carefully. They should not blame the family alone for the kid’s decisions because this might contradict with the beliefs of the Latinos (Clutter & Zubieta, 2009). It is very important for the counsellors to be able to understand the mind set of their client and thus, given suggestions which do not insult the cultural values of the Latinos. Latinos require someone who can understand the ways in which their personal, family and social lives are intertwined. They do not require a counsellor who just blames the family for everything wrong that is happening. They require a person who will be able to understand that even though the family is a cause of the instability in the individual’s life, family is still important. The counsellor should be able to provide solutions, which will help the patient deal with the present situation and not insult his love for his family. In addition to giving importance to family, Latinos also value respect and interpersonal relationship. Therapist must make sure that they never disrespect the Latino heritage or culture. It takes a long while for a patient to open up in a therapy session. If the counsellor succeeds in this, all the efforts will go in vain once the counsellor disrespects any belief held important or sacred by the Latinos. Latinos need counsellors who can understand their situation (Lago, 2005). A large percentage of the Latino population lives in poverty with members of their family going astray because of the instability at home. However, when they go to counsellors, they expect to get help from them and not be blamed for these conditions. Counsellors must make sure that they empathize with their clients but do not take it to a level that it comes off as pity. No matter what their living conditions are, Latinos are very proud people. They do not like to be looked down upon. It is disrespectful for Latinos if somebody looks down upon them. Therefore, it is very important for the counsellors to understand these particular needs of the Latinos before conducting therapy sessions with them. The counsellor should understand that his own approach to the world is very different from that of his clients, especially if they belong to a different ethnic group (CASCW, 2001). Effectiveness of counselling depends on various different factors when it comes to the members of the Latino population. Firstly and most importantly the counselling will be more effective if the counsellor belongs to the same ethnic group as the patient. If the counsellor is a Latino, not only will he be able to understand his patient better, the patient will also feel comfortable around him. There won’t be a language barrier and the patient will be able to confide in the counsellor more because of the assumption that one Latino understands another better. In reality this might even not be the case (Benitez, 2007). But since the results of counselling and therapies depend a lot on what the patient thinks and assumes, having a Latino counsellor will definitely help. A Latino counsellor will be better able to build a rapport with a Latino client as compared to a non Latino counsellor. If the counsellor is not a Latino, then the fact that the counsellor has been in a similar position as the patient will help make the therapy clinically effective. Patients who go in for counselling are sent forcefully most of the times. They think that nobody will be able to understand what is going through their minds and in their lives. Thus, instead of opening up and confiding in the counsellor, people tend to close up. They think that their problems are distinctive and not a soul has been through such issues. Especially for the Latinos, they might think that being an ethnic minority, they are not given justice. They have to live in poor conditions because they do not get equal employment opportunities because of their ethnicity. The reason why counselling is at times not effective is because the patients think that since the counsellors are sitting in pretty clinics they have been blessed all along. However, it is important for the counsellor to make the patients realize that everybody has problems irrespective of their race or ethnicity. For the counsellors to be better able to serve the clients it is very important for them to understand their cross cultural competencies. A cross cultural competency is the ability of a person to understand the cultural and traditional dynamics of each of their clients/customers. Once a person understands these, he would be better able to understand what the patient is going through and will be able to help facilitate recovery. The counsellor should be able to understand the clients’ attitudes and beliefs. In this case the counsellor should be able to understand the beliefs and values of the Latinos. One very common stereotype of the Latino culture is the difference in the role of a man and woman. The Machismo culture encourages the man to be the bread earner for the family, where as the woman has to stay at home and handle the family and church affairs. This has been the Latino culture since beginning of times (Mirandé, 1997). For an average American, understanding this basic thing might be a problem because the American culture regards both men and women equally. Thus, for a counsellor to be successful, he should be well aware of these nuances and differences in the local culture and the Latino culture. When counselling members of the Latino population, the counsellor should be able to recognize the client’s view on male female friendships and relationships. These relationships are very different in the Latino culture, as compared to the American culture. So rather than saying something and unconsciously insulting the client, it is better for the counsellor to research such things before hand (Beek, 1996). Along with understanding the Latino culture, the counsellor should have an in depth understanding of the other major cultures as well. This helps the counsellor give the patient a comparative view and explain things more appropriately. An understanding of the socio-political influences help counsellors understand the queries and problems of their patients better. Having an understanding of the various aspects of the Latino culture and traditions is important. But along with this, counsellors should have the required skills and the abilities that are required to work with different ethnic groups. The counsellor should have the ability to devise strategies for intervention and use the required techniques through thorough analysis. At times things tend to get heated up during counselling sessions. The counsellor should be patient enough so as to deal with frustrated patients. He should also be empathetic and cool headed so that the counsellor does not get angry during the course of the counselling sessions. They should have the ability to analyze and sift the information to get to the core of the problem and help their patients (Tazeau, 2005). Language barrier is a great obstacle when it comes to therapy for the Latinos. For a race which is as proud of their traditions and origins as the Latinos, they mostly communicate in their mother tongue, Spanish. Often people are more comfortable with others if they both speak the same language. Language acts as an ice breaker and puts people at ease. Such ice breakers are often required in counselling sessions. So even if the counsellors are not Latino, they should communicate in the same language as the client. Problems arise when the counsellor and the client do not speak the same language. Counsellors for Latinos should know how to speak Spanish (Lago, 2005). If a situation arises where the counsellor does not excel in the language, it is advisable to hire a translator. This will help the client get more comfortable as it makes him realize that there is somebody who understands his needs through his language. Often the interventions carried out by the counsellors are met with hostile attitudes. It is the counsellor’s duty to help explain to his client the processes involved in a psychological intervention. When people seek out psychological help, or are forced to do so by their families, they often end up thinking that they are on the path of going mad. This is an unpleasant thought and an unwanted situation for any person. People lose self respect when they think that their image in front of others is diminishing. For Latinos respect means a lot. Thus, it is very important to make the client realize that a psychological intervention does not mean that a person is going mad. Once a client is educated about the processes involved, the intervention would be more acceptable to him. In the Latino culture, the mother decides whether the children need any type of healthcare or counselling. The male head then gives the permission with the consent of the entire family at times. Latinos view depression and other psychological problems as a source of embarrassment to the family. They do not recognize it as medical problem which needs help. On the contrary they would try to hide cases of psychological problems so that the family is not looked down upon (Culture Clues, 2007). In such a situation it is very important for the counsellor to explain it to the patient that seeking guidance and counselling is not something to be ashamed of. Most of the youth refuses to seek counselling because it makes them a source of embarrassment for their families. Thus, when they eventually come for a counselling session they are often hostile and want to get done with it as fast as they can. In such a situation it is the duty of the counsellor to help educate the clients so that they realize how important seeking help is. Once the initial hesitance withers away, the counsellors are better able to help their clients find their way from being ashamed to being in control of their lives. The American and the Latino cultures are extremely different. Even though the Latinos have been living in the United States of America since a long time, they still hold on tightly to their roots and values. For the members of the Latino populations, their culture, traditions, values and religious beliefs are very important. Family ties and personal relationships form the basis of the Latino culture. Latinos value their relationships more than anything else. They have set roles for males and females in the house, which are not meant to be altered at any cost. Due to their living conditions, disturbance in family lives and ethnic discrimination, members of the Latino population are often in need of counselling and therapy. It is however hard for the counsellors at times to break through the walls these people have set up around them. They are so engrossed in their own traditions that it is at times impossible for an outsider to understand what they are going through. To understand the mind and thoughts of a Latino it is very important to understand their culture and history. As with any other ethnic group, they tend to give preference to their own people as compared to those belonging to a different ethnic group. It is very important for counsellors to give their Latino clients their due respect so that they are able to win their trust. Until and unless a client trusts his counsellor he won’t open up to him. For counselling efforts to be successful it is vital for the client to talk about his life, problems and experiences openly. However this may not be possible if the client feels threatened by the counsellor or doesn’t trust him. The counsellor has to take the first step and put the client at ease so that he doesn’t feel uncomfortable. Once trust and a required comfort level have been established, it gets easy for the client to talk to the counsellor and for the counsellor to understand the clients’ point of view. If the counsellors pay attentions to the little details about the Latino culture, they will be better able to help these people even if they do not belong to the same community, race, gender, religion or ethnic group. Bibliography Beek, A.V. (1996). Cross Cultural Counselling. Fortress Press, 1996 The author has signified the issues related to identity, diverse cultures, perceptions, sense of belonging and acknowledgement. This book refers to some issues with biblical references and therefore, discuses different cases to present logical discussion around many issues like family counselling. Benitez, C. (2007). Latinization: How Latino Culture Is Transforming the U.S. Paramount Market Publishing, 2007 The author talks about how the Latinos in the United States of America are influencing the lifestyle of the country. This book analyses the influences of the Latinos on the locals in a positive light and examines how Latino traditions like valuing relationships are influencing the relations of those in the US. The book describes Latino culture in detail and helps the readers understand what the Latino way of life is. Burnard, P. (1999). Practical Counselling and Helping. Routeledge, 1999. The author provides the readers with a guide to counselling. The book offers precise information as to what counselling is and gives information on how counselling can be carried out by individuals. It provides a detailed picture of the counselling process, providing the readers with information about the limitations of counselling. The book provides details about the various counselling methods and is a guide for professional on how to improve at counselling. CASCW. (2001). Latino Cultural Guide. The Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ssw/cascw/attributes/PDF/CulturalGuide-Latino.pdf This publication provides an overview of the items which are vital for understanding family relationships in the Latino culture. Family dynamics are presented in this paper via research. The paper provides details on how important family and children are for the Latinos and how these relationships are unique in their own way. Clutter, A.W. & Zubieta, A.C. (2009). Understanding the Latino Culture. Fact Sheet – Family and Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University Extension. Retrieved from http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5237.pdf The authors give details about the basic aspects of the Latino culture. The paper describes how important family, religion, festivities and celebrations affect the daily lives of the Latinos. Even though the paper is a good read, it provides the readers with general information. The paper is not as specific as it ought to be, even then it provides a good read and a basic understanding of the culture. Culture Clues. (2007). Communicating with your Latino patient. Patient and Family Education Services, University of Washington Medical Center. Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/pfes/PDFs/LatinoCultureClue.pdf The paper focuses on the uniqueness of the Latino population in America. Coming from extremely different cultures, the Americans and the Latinos react differently to different life situations. Similar is the case in medicine. The paper provides details as to how the Latinos react to various illnesses, psychological problems and treatment methods. This paper is helpful for professionals to understand the reactions of their patients so that they don’t end up insulting their patients and making them feel insecure. Falicov, C.J. (2000). Latino Families in Therapy: A Guide to Multicultural Practice. Guilford Press, 2000. This book focuses on one of the most important aspects of the Latino culture – family. This book focuses on the intervention strategies which are effective for dealing with the various family issues Latino families have. Through research and an in depth analysis the author goes on to prove that the Latinos residing in the US are not all the same. They are a diverse group of people who come from different countries and backgrounds. The book attempts to make readers sensitive to various cultural backgrounds so that they are better able to understand the people. Gielin, U.P., Dr. Draguns, J.G. & Fish, J.M. (2008). Principles of Multicultural Counselling and Therapy. Taylor & Francis, 2008. The authors provide their readers with details on how to counsel individuals from various different cultures. Due to increased migration, cultural diversity has increased worldwide, especially in the US. The book aims at informing its readers about how various cultures are different from each other, so much so that certain things acceptable in one culture are regarded as immoral in the other. These details come in handy for counsellors, who should pay attention to the minute details of their clients, so that they can be helped. Lago, C.L. (2005). Race, Culture and Counselling. McGraw-Hill International, 2005. The author writes about how culture affects counselling and how multicultural counselling should be carried out. The book analyses the impact of culture, communication and its barriers on therapy and the tools counsellors can use to overcome these hurdles. Mirandé, A. (1997). Hombres Y Machos: Masculinity and Latino Culture. Westview Press, 1997. Masculinity and men are given high importance in the Latino culture. Latino men are not only the head of the family but also the main decision maker. The book talks about how men in the Latino culture behave. It analyses men from various sections of the population: middle class, working, native born and foreign born. The author refutes various common myths about how the Latino men behave in social and family settings. Reiss, S. (2010). New Counseling Methods. Who We Are – Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/who-we-are/201006/new-counseling-methods The author talks about a new counselling method, the Reiss Motivation profile. During a counselling session it is very important for the counsellor to get to know his client. The Reiss motivation profile assesses how an individual prioritizes his needs and wants. By analysing these needs, the counsellor is better able to understand the though process of his client, hence help settle any disputes. Repetto, E. (2002). Cross-cultural Counseling: Problems and Prospects. Universidad Nacional de Educaciόn a Distancia (UNED), Orientaciόn y Sociedad – 2001/2002 – Vol. 3. Retrieved from http://www.scielo.org.ar/pdf/orisoc/v3/en_v3a02.pdf The author assesses the contributions made by research to the field of cross-cultural counselling. The article provides the main findings of these researches and goes on to describe which competencies are necessary for cross cultural counsellors. It lists down and analyses the competencies required for cross cultural counselling so that these can act as a benchmark for counsellors. The article also gives details for effective intervention strategies which can be employed during cross cultural counselling. Tazeau, Y. N. (2005). Counseling Latina/Latino Clients. American Psychology Association. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pubs/videos/4310617.pdf The article is a review of the video “Counselling Latina/Latino clients”. The article explains how counsellors should adopt the right strategies with their Latino clients. It explains that while dealing with Latino clients, the counsellor-client relationship is of extreme importance. It provides guidelines as to how counsellors should build a rapport with their clients and gain their trust before starting any intervention. . Read More