Reference no: EM133224187

Case - MONICA - Monica is 27-year old women who is a native American and African descent. She is seeking career counselling because she has lost her government subsidy and must enter the workforce. Monica is the mother of three children, ages 10,8, and 6. The oldest child is the daughter of a white man; the younger two are children of a relationship Monica had with an African American man who also accepted her first child as his own. The latter relationship has ended. Though the children continue to see their father, his contribution to the household income must be supplemented to support Monica and her three children.

Monica's parents are both biracial, her mother is half Cherokee and half African American and identifies primarily with her Cherokee heritage. She volunteers at a local museum devoted to native American history and culture. Her father is half Sioux and half African American; his primarily identification is with African American community, where he is a community police office. Monica grew up in a middle-class. Racially mixed neighborhood, the younger of two children, her sister, who is 5 years older, is employed as a day care worker, which enables her also to care for her own children.

Monica's sister is married to an African American man, who own his own plumbing company. Monica did not finish high school, since she dropped out when she was pregnant with her first child. Although, her high school had day care available and her counselor encouraged her to complete her high school degree, Monica wanted to concentrate on her baby and her boyfriend. However, shortly after the child was born, the baby's father left town, and Monica has not seen him since. She went to public aid after he left. she was too depressed to find a job and then began her relationship with Rick. Her government subsidy continued. Rick helped support her and her daughter and the two additional children that they had together until their relationship ended. Monica's primary support system consists of her family and friends in her apartment building, most of whom are African American, though she feels no particular identification with either the Native American or African American community.

Monica learned last fall that her government subsidy was going to be eliminated this month; she did not know what to do since she had no skills, no degree, and no job history. Her family encouraged her to seek career counseling some time ago, but she was embarrassed at her lack of skills and did nothing until she learned her last check would come next week.

QUESTIONS -

1. Where would you begin as the counselor?

2. What role may Monica's biracial status and her ethnic identity play in her decision?

3. What cultural values may her family have transmitted to Monica?

4. What cultural variables would you want to incorporate in career counseling?

5. What are some possible career interventions you could use?

6. What cultural strengths could you emphasize in working with Monica?