Personal Versus Vocational Focus in Career Counseling: A Retrospective Outcome Study

In this archival study the authors sought to determine the relationship, if any, between counseling outcomes and the topical focus in career counseling. Twenty-two counselors saw 46 adult clients at a community-based clinic for an average of eight sessions. Counseling outcome and topical focus (the extent to which the actual content of counseling sessions reflected relatively more vocationally or personally focused topics) were assessed from follow-up questionnaires to former career clients and from trained raters' evaluations of the counselors' written progress notes. Results showed that, from the counselors' perspective, outcomes were better when the focus of the sessions was relatively more vocational than personal and when relatively more interviews were held. Client satisfaction, on the other hand, was predictable only from the counselor's level of experience. Satisfaction with occupational status was not associated with any of the client, counselor, or treatment factors. Discussion focuses on the contribution of the results to career counseling practice and on the feasibility and validity of retrospective, archival research.     

Cross-Cultural Counseling Concerns

The problems and concerns of cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy are evaluated. Specific questions are raised along with suggestions for cross-cultural counseling researchers and practitioners.     

The Future of Cross-Cultural Counseling: A Delphi Poll

The probable future of cross-cultural counseling, for the next 10 years, was predicted using the Delphi Method—the best available forecasting tool. A panel of 53 identified experts in the field of cross-cultural counseling completed a 49-item questionnaire that addressed future developments in the areas of theory and research, training and preparation, and social organization. Results indicated many probable changes in all areas and several areas that remain unclear for the next decade. Nominations for the current top cross-cultural training programs, journals, and books were also solicited, resulting in a strong consensus.     

Cross-Cultural Counseling: An Existential Approach

Counselors continue to express concern about problems inherent in cross-cultural counseling. Despite the large literature on the subject, counseling members of ethnic groups different from that of the counselor remains problematic. Three concepts— Umwelt (the physical environment), Mitwelt (the interpersonal world), and Eigenwelt (one's inner world)—offer significant philosophical assistance to counselors wishing to overcome cultural encapsulation because, although surface cultural differences exist, humans are fundamentally more alike than they are different. The counselor needs to accept this reality to be effective in counseling culturally different clients, whether they are American minorities or foreign visitors.     

Religious Values as Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling

This article highlights the importance of considering religious values in counseling from a cross-cultural perspective. Counseling has virtually ignored some aspects of culture and their influence on the therapeutic process.     

Ethical Implications in Cross-Cultural Counseling and Training

The nonspecificity of the ethical guidelines forces counselors to develop personal philosophies in regard to serving culturally unique clients. The resulting variability in the quality and availability of services threatens the growth and dilutes the integrity of the counseling profession. The worldview of the counselor is discussed as it affects client welfare, self-determination, and cultural autonomy in the counseling alliance. Ethical issues surrounding the development and implementation of cross-cultural training programs are reviewed and discussed.     

Counseling for Personal Loss

This article presents both a conceptual model of and strategies for counseling on issues of personal loss. Grieving occurs even when losses are not caused by death, and problems appear when grieving is not allowed to proceed naturally. Counseling should aim to identify the need for and to facilitate the process of grieving so that clients are not overwhelmed by the experience. Specific suggestions offer conceptualizations and clinical approaches to help clients cope with a variety of loss problems.     

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Worldviews: American and Fijian Counseling Students

The Scale to Assess World Views was administered to 104 Fijians and to 109 Americans who were all enrolled in counseling programs in their respective countries. Fijians and Americans were compared in order to determine whether the worldviews of counseling students in these two countries were different. Differences were found between the Fijian and American counseling students on the Human Relationships category and the Time Orientation Category. The Fijian Counseling students scored higher than the Americans on the Lineal-Hierarchical and Collateral-Mutual subscales of the Human Relationships Category and higher than the Americans on the Past and Future subscales of the Time Orientation Category.     

Eclecticism and Integration: A Personal Retrospective View

As indicated in the title, this article presents a personal retrospective account of the development of the author's eclectic and integrative views of psychotherapy. Although this period covers more than 50 years, I have tried my best to recall events as accurately as possible.     

Cross-Cultural Counseling and Neurolinguistic Mirroring With Native American Adolescents

This study examined the effects of neurolinguistic mirroring versus nonmirroring of selected nonverbal behaviors on empathy, trustworthiness, and positive interaction in a cross-cultural setting among 60 Choctaw adolecents and Caucasian female counselors. Results indicated significant mirroring effects on the empathy scale of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory.     

Traditional Healing in Africa: Implications for Cross-Cultural Counseling

Even though the change in Africa from traditional societies to modern ones is evident in many institutions throughout the continent, the transition is uneven. One institution that seems to have changed little over the years is the healing establishment. In general, traditional healers still treat their patients as their forebears did in the distant past. This article indicates who the indigenous doctors are, the role the family plays in health maintenance, the nature of the healing relationship, what diagnostic techniques are used, the specific healing methods used, how music is used as a therapeutic accompaniment, how healers are selected and prepared, and the implications of traditional healing for cross-cultural counseling. Aunque el cambio en Africa desde sociedades tradicionales a sociedades modernas es evidente en muchas instituciones por todo el continente, la transición es desigual. Una de las instituciones que parece haber cambiado poco a través de los años es la del curandero. En general, los curanderos tradicionales todavía tratan a sus clientes de la misma manera que sus antepasados. Este artículo indica quienes son los doctores indígenas, el papel de la familia en el mantamiento de la salud, el cáracter de la relación de curación, las ténicas de diagnóstico que se usan, los métodos específicos de curación, cómo se usa la música como acompañamiento terapeútico, cómo se escogen y preparan los curanderos, y las implicaciones de la curación traditional en la consejería intercultural.