Essay On Multi Cultural Diversity

The differences observed in society can be seen in almost every aspect of life and can separate every human from another through choice and perception. Considering a simplistic example where one driver in the United States drives on the right side of the road, compared to a European driver that drives on the left side of the road. Each may perceive that the other is incapable of driving when sharing the same environment. Yet both individuals are perfectly capable of operating a vehicle safely and successfully. The similarity is that both know how to operate a vehicle and this similarity is what creates cohesion between two individuals. The aspect of multi-cultural counseling operates across this same philosophy where the diversity of one client

The multicultural “melting pot” of this nation, introduces a variety of race, religious, socioeconomic, gender, and sexual oriented differences. These differences have often fueled many discriminatory debates based solely on the differences perceived by individuality and personal belief systems throughout a brief history. It’s these perceptions of beliefs that have often disabled the efforts to effectively render successful counseling for the individual seeking healthy change. D 'Andrea, Daniels & Heck (1991) note that an increasing recognition within professional ranks shows that many of the existing psychological and counseling training paradigms do not adequately address the mental health needs of individuals from differing cultures and special backgrounds. Though education has become more commonplace, there is still a growing need to keep up with cultural blending as society continues to evolve in order to render proper care that is sensitive to the need of the client. Therapists must continue to increase personal awareness of at least the basic root of a client’s cultural belief in order to better understand how adaption and cohesion in therapy may take place that support the individual. Yet awareness of the client’s cultural orientation is a addendum to the necessary self

Cultural competence has evolved into more than a discrete skill set; it also requires an ongoing self-evaluation on the part of the practitioner (SAMHSA, 2014). Differences will always exist in the view of human nature, but at the core of humanity, exists a similarity that creates a core of cohesion that must be foundation on which therapeutic treatment can be built upon. As cultural belief continues to evolve over time, the understanding of these changes as seen in others and within the therapists own belief systems must be evaluated, processed and understood. Through this process, there will be no reason one human can not help another human to live a better life through a process of compassionate healing based on the sensitivity and understanding of individual beliefs. Humanity will continue to change and evolve, the hopes of successful therapy is found in encouraging change that supports a multicultural and diverse