Multicultural Counseling

Portfolio
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ROBERT MORAN
EDCEP 951
SUMMER 2013

Statement of Purpose
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As a school counselor, I will have many people walk

through my door over the course of my career. Each
person will be different with a unique set of
experiences and word views. My goal is to set aside
any biases or assumptions and treat each of these
people based on their merits and qualities regardless
of their race, ethnicity, culture, gender, or sexual
orientation. I want to approach each person with an
open mind and learn from them so that we can have
an effective, collaborative relationship.

My Background
3

I was basically born and raised in

Leavenworth, KS. The town does have
some diversity, but I went to a Catholic
school that was a little less diverse. I
have been involved in athletics all of my
life, and have had many teammates who
came from different racial backgrounds.
As an educator though, I have not taught
in a district that would be described as diverse. A high
percentage of the students I have worked with are White.

My Background
4

A special relationship that I have

developed over the last thirteen
years is with Armstrong Yakubu,
who is my former brother-in-law.
Armstrong is married to the sister
of my ex-wife. He is originally from
Nigeria, but went to boarding school
in London and currently lives there.
He and I have had many conversations about world events and
culture in general. He has really opened my eyes to how other
countries view Americans. I get to see him about once a year still
when his family visits Clay Center. I look forward to his next visit
in August, where we will have much to discuss based on my new
knowledge of multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism
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Multiculturalism as it applies to school counseling, is the

awareness and recognition of a broad range of individual
identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
socio-economic status and religious affiliation. In order to
become a culturally competent counselor, one must become
aware of and acknowledge ones own beliefs and biases of
these groups based on personal experiences and world
views. An effective counselor must then be willing to put
those aside and accept each individual for who they are so
that the best interests of the client are met. This class is only
the beginning of my movement toward becoming a
culturally competent counselor. It is an ongoing process
that will not end when this class is over.
(Carroll, 2009)

White Privilege
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White privilege is based on the idea that the

majority culture in The United States has
some distinct advantages that other minority
cultures do not have. White, middle-class,
English speaking Americans have more
freedoms, resources, and advantages that
others do not. I acknowledge that I am a
product of this system, and that I have
benefitted throughout my life because of it. I
have never known discrimination based on
my skin color, language, or gender. I have
never been harassed or falsely accused
because of what I looked like. I am proud of
my heritage and of the individual that I have
become, but I also realize that I did have
advantages that enabled me to have minimal
roadblocks along the way.

African Americans
7

World Views
Close bonds with extended family and friends
Positive ethnic identity
Strong spiritual beliefs

Counseling Considerations
Establish and egalitarian relationship.
Define goals and ways to obtain them.
Determine how client views problem and possible solutions.
Determine if racism is related external factor to problem.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

Latinos/as
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World Views
Familismo-Family unit, respect and tradition
Males and elders held in high regard.
Women expected to be submissive.

Counseling Considerations

Assess the acculturation level of the client and family.

Determine the need of an interpreter.
Understand the hierarchical structure of the family.
Establish trust in order to develop a bond with the client.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

Asian Americans
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World Views
Strong family and group orientations
Families tend to be hierarchical and patriarchal in structure.
Authoritarian parenting style

Counseling Considerations

Co-construction approach to counseling

Use problem-focused, time-limited approaches.
Identify strengths and abilities of individual and family.
Stress confidentiality to build a trusting relationship.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

Native Americans
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World Views
Tribe is of fundamental importance.
Sharing and cooperation are valued.
Life is lived in the here and now.

Counseling Considerations
Determine clients adherence to traditional tribal values.
Assess the problem with respect to individual, family and
tribal community.
Assess the importance of basic needs and identify resources.
Generate possible solutions to the problem.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

Women
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World Views
Face stereotyped roles because of gender
Imbalance of power in society
Develop and maintain strong social support networks

Counseling Considerations

Recognize that problems may be internalized.

Emphasize the strengths and talents of the client.
Assess whether or not abuse has been a factor in problems.
Be alert for signs of depression.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

LGBT
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World Views
Resilient in the face of adversity
Sense of belonging to supportive community
Involved in social justice and activism

Counseling Considerations
Be sensitive to heterosexist procedures or intake forms.
Do not make assumptions based on sexual orientation.
Assess for depression due to discrimination or
microaggressions.
Be aware of the stress related to coming out.
(Sue &Sue, 2013)

Growth Plan
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My goal is to become a culturally

competent counselor. I feel that this
class is only the beginning of my
journey towards that goal. In order to
continue to move forward, I will need
to take it upon myself to pursue
opportunities that will expand my
multicultural experiences. I realize
that my world is small right now, but I
can address that, and I look forward
to increasing my exposure to our everchanging world. I feel like I have
learned a lot in the last four weeks,
and I am excited to continue this
process.

Resources
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Sue, D.W. & Sue, D. (2013) Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and
practice. Sixth Edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
Carroll, D. (2009). Toward Multiculturalism Competence: A Practical Model for
Implementation in the Schools. In J. M. Jones (Ed.) The Psychology of
Multiculturalism in the Schools. A Primer for Practice, Training, and Research.
(pp. 1-16). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. PDF