Reference no: EM133623441

Question: A criticism of clinical practice is that there is not enough focus on individual intersectionality (race, age, gender identity, socioeconomic status, ability, level of education, etc) into the way that the therapeutic relationship is approached. We often think that if we are kind, empathetic, and warm, clients will respond positively. Differences between clinicians and their client(s) may make it difficult for an individual in need to find a clinician who understands specific issues related to their experience. Helping those in therapeutic settings to better connect with their clients and be more sensitive to issues related to experiences of diversity is just one reason that multicultural counseling is so important.

Read the statements below that were taken from clinical documentation. Rewrite/change the statements to reflect culturally sensitive and professional language.

The client is a 33-year-old Mexican here illegally found sleeping on the street. He speaks no English and hardly understands Spanish.
Jackie has an approach to life that is typical of most women. She expects little in the way of happiness and is never surprised when her life choices become problematic.
Robert Levy is a 47-year-old Jew who, like most Jews, is in the financial business. Mr. Levy is married, but unhappily, and says his wife is a typical Jewish American Princess (JAP).
The client is an obese Black man who comes to the agency after spending two years in jail for assault. He says he wants to be an architect, but he has a low IQ and very little motivation for school. He'll probably be on welfare and in and out of jail for most of his life.
In discussing his marriage, Tom, a 37-year-old Indian, became offended when I kept asking him to look at me when we spoke. He became agitated and said, "you stupid white guys think you know the first thing about Navajo culture. You just don't and this isn't helping." I asked him to tell me more about how he felt about us White guys. He just laughed and said it wasn't his place to tell me about his culture. It's obvious that Tom has the usual negative attitude toward Whites and instead of dealing with conflict, is blaming everyone else for his marital problems.
It's clear that Ben's dysfunctional behaviors in the classroom are due to his ADHD diagnosis and lack of effort to change. His hearing loss makes it difficult for him to understand.
Additionally, share how you plan to connect with those who identify in different ways than you do. What concerns do you have about this dynamic in social work practice?