COUNSELING AND HUMAN DIVERSITY

I. Description:

Examination of human and cultural diversity, emphasizing race, ethnicity, sexual preference, and other status differences, and how they impact therapy clients as individuals, as a family and as members of society.

II. Goals:

The goal of this course is to provide an overview of the challenges and processes of counseling and helping in our diverse society. The class will include both didactic and experiential activities to expand counseling competencies in working with diverse peoples. One emphasis will be to become aware of one's own cultural baggage as that affects the ability to see others in their cultural world.

It should be emphasized that this course in isolation does not claim to make a person qualified to do counseling and therapy with diverse populations. To understand and work effectively with differentness requires a lifelong commitment to learning and to self-awareness.

III. Competencies

A. Knowledge: Students will gain a knowledge of:

1. Psychological, social, and developmental issues of diverse groups.

2. Cultural and other disadvantaged status factors influencing the counseling process.

3. Research relevant to counseling across cultures.

4. Their own level of cultural awareness, understanding, sensitivity and acceptance.

B. Skills: Students will be able to perform the following

1. Apply principles of diversity to counseling and consulting with individuals, families, and groups.

2. Describe the characteristics of exemplary practice in counseling as related to diversity.

3. Critically analyze research on diversity.

4. Begin to identify strategies to modify the effects of political, social, and economic forces on diverse persons, families, and groups.

5. Attitudes and values students will be encouraged to develop will include:

a. A respect for the uniqueness of each client or client group.

b. An evolving awareness and sensitivity of diverse populations.

c. Increased knowledge and acceptance of difference.

d. An understanding of the dynamics of difference and to start adopting practical skills to fit each client's unique context.

IV. Content

A. Politics of Counseling

B. Barriers to Effective Counseling of Diverse Groups

C. Communication/Counseling Styles

D. Sociopolitical Considerations of Mistrust in Counseling

E. Racial/Disadvantaged Status Identity Models

V. Evaluation

Attendance 100 points

Participation/Knowledge of Readings 100 points

Autobiography Assignment 100 points

Special Project 100 points

Final Exam 100 points

TOTAL 500 points

VI. Grading Scale

500-460 points A

459-425 points B

424-400 points C

399-350 points D

349 & lower F

VII. Autobiography Assignment: Pick one of the autobiographies in the list below (or get approval to use another autobiography of a diverse person from a background other than your own) and read AT LEAST 100 pages by the next class (in two weeks). Be prepared to portray the subject of your autobiography in a role-play of a counseling situation during the 4th week of class.

You will also role-play a counselor for someone else portraying a diverse 'client'. Due the 5th week will be a paper about your experiences; a) coming to understand the author and his/her diversity, b) portraying them and their feelings in a counseling situation, and c) trying to understand and work with the diversity issues of your 'client' (3-5 pages, typed).

VIII. Academic Honesty: Grades and degrees earned by dishonest means devalue those earned by all students. Academic dishonesty involves acts which may subvert or compromise the integrity of the educational process.

IX. Disabilities

Any students with disabilities who might be aided by changing seating arrangements or other aspects of the course, please inform me at the beginning of the class, and I will do what I can to accommodate you.

X. Research Base

Text

Sue, W., & Sue, D. (1999). Counseling the culturally different: Theory and practice. (3rd Ed.). New York: Wiley & Sons.

Autobiography Assignment References

Angelou, Maya, (1969). I know why the caged bird sings. New York: Bantam Books.

Asche, Arthur & Ranpersad, Arnold (1993). Days of grace: A memoire. New York: Ballantine.

Campbell, Bebe Moore, (1989). Sweet summer: Growing up with and without my dad. New York: Putnam.

Cary, Lorene (1991). Black ice. New York: Knopf.

Chestnut, J. L. (1990). Black in Selma: The uncommon life of J. L. Chestnut Jr.. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Crow Dog, Mary & Erdoes, Richard (1990). Lakota woman. New York: Grove Weidenfeld.

Denman, Rose Mary (1990). Let my people in: A lesbian minister tells of her struggles to live openly and maintain her ministry. New York: Morrow.

Hayslip, Le Ly & Wurtz, Jay (1989). When heaven and earch changed places: A Vietnamese woman's journey from war to peace. New York: Doubleday.

Kingston, Maxine H. (1977). The woman warrior: Memoirs of a girlhood among ghosts. New York: Knopf.

Kopay, David & Young, Perry D. (1977). The David Kopay story: An extraordinary self-revelation. New York: Arbor House.

Mankiller, Wilma & Wallis, Michael (1993). Mankiller: A chief and her people, (chapter 3-end). New York: St. Martin's Press.

Momaday, N. Scott ((1976). The names: A memoir. New York: Harper & Row.

Njeri, I. (1991). Every good-bye ain't gone. New York: Random House.

Silko, Leslie (1981). Storyteller. New York: Seaver Books.

Sone, Monica (1953). Nisei daughter. Boston: Little, Brown.

XI: Class Schedule: Sue & Sue Readings

Session 1: Overview, Diversity Issues in Counseling ch. 1 + 100 pages

autobiography

Session 2: Barriers & Commonalities ch. 2 & 3

· Trade Negotiations Exercise

Session 3: Culturally Appropriate Interventions ch. 4

Session 4: Prejudice

· Counseling autobiography characters exercise & discussion

· Set up dyads, give each 10 minutes to "counsel" each other.

· Teacher circulates, guides and observes.

Session 5: Understanding/Misunderstanding ch 6 & 8

· Discuss autobiographies and what hampered the counseling relationship, as well as sources of problems/misunderstandings

· Hand in papers discussing experience

Session 6: Multicultural Family Counseling ch. 5

· Diverse Family Counseling Exercise

Session 7: Non-Western, Indigenous Healing ch. 9

Session 8: Counseling African Americans ch. 11

Session 9: Counseling Asian Americans ch. 12

Session 10: Counseling Native Americans ch. 13

Session 11: Counseling Hispanic Americans ch. 14

Session 12: Counseling Arab/Muslim Americans

Session 13: Counseling with Gay Men and Lesbian Women ch. 15

Session 14: Counseling with Women and Men

Session 15: Counseling with People with Physical Disabilities

& Elderly Clients

Session 16: Multicultural Counseling Competence ch. 10