Cross-cultural pastoral counseling: Method or hermeneutic?

This article explores some of the meta-questions that emerge when talking about “cross-cultural pastoral counseling.” Is it a distinct counseling method or a practical hermeneutic that prompts the counselor to examine his or her therapeutic approach? The author argues that “cross-cultural pastoral counseling” is really a hermeneutic that challenges the pastoral counselor to an ongoing evaluation of how and to what extent his or her approach to pastoral counseling may be guided by dominant social convention versus the gospel mandate of Matthew 25: 31–46 [RSV]. The article reviews relevant literature, discusses three fundamental changes (“conversions”) that are necessary for the pastoral counselor in order to do cross-cultural pastoral counseling, and presents a case illustration involving a multi-cultural pastoral counseling intervention.     

Toward an integrative model for cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy

The purpose of this article is to present an integrative model of cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy. Illustrated by a series of critical incidents, it is argued that unidimensional models of cross-cultural counseling and psychotherapy are inherently limited. Using Kluckhohn and Murray's tripartite model of personality, an integrative, sequential, and dynamic model of cross-cultural counseling is advanced. Support for the validity of the Kluckhohn and Murray model is first reviewed. This is followed by a delineation of the components of the current integrative model: (a) Outgroup homogeneity effect, (b) Cultural schema theory, (c) Complimentarity theory, (d) Science of complexity, and (e) Mindfulness. The operation of this model is described in a series of figures and the implications for counseling practice and future research is discussed.     

Cultural competency in genetic counseling

Incorporating a cross-cultural curriculum into genetic counseling training programs demonstrates a professional conviction of genetic counselors that cultural issues are important in genetic counseling. Funded by the Special Projects Fund in 1993 from the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the Kitson Fund from the Department of Social, Organizational, and Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, theHandbook of Cross-Cultural Genetic Counseling was developed to provide genetic counseling programs a curriculum to teach cross-cultural genetic counseling. The theoretical rationale for the development of a cultural curriculum is presented. By expanding cultural knowledge, developing an awareness of oneself and others, and increasing the repertoire of culturally relevant counseling skills within a socio-political context, genetic counselors will be able to better serve all clients seeking genetic counseling.     

An Organizational Framework for Understanding the Role Of Culture in Counseling

Literature on cross-cultural counseling has emphasized differences between groups and the need to develop culture-specific techniques. Lacking a coherent conceptual framework, this focus has done little to improve the status of multicultural training in counseling programs and has not had a positive impact on the quality of service delivery to minority clients. The authors propose an alternative direction for cross-cultural training and research. Building on work in transpersonal psychology and psychotherapy, they delineate a conceptual model that provides an integrative framework for understanding the role of culture in counseling.     

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.     

A Personal Retrospective on Cross-Cultural Counseling

The author, considered by many to be one of the founders of cross-cultural counseling, reviews the personal and intellectual forces that shaped his approach to counseling.     

Culture and career psychology: A social constructionist perspective

This paper reflects on the need to re-examine cultural and cross-cultural psychology with a view to re-invigorating them and placing them at the center of discourse in career psychology. One perspective that can be employed to achieve these goals is social constructionism in that it questions the centrality of post-positivism in cultural and cross-cultural career psychology and shifts the focus to people in relationships. Emphasis is placed on understanding relationships in culture and recognizing that cultures are neither static nor independent variables but central to and embedded in career psychology. Social constructionist perspectives on cross-cultural counseling in career psychology and the development of indigenous career psychologies are discussed.     

Rethinking Multicultural Counseling: Implications for Counselor Education

This article looks at the current usage of the term multicultural counseling and analyzes the emerging concept by identifying the premises on which it is based. It explores the potential contribution of multiculturalism to the theory and practice of counseling. The current status of training in cross-cultural and multicultural counseling is briefly reviewed, and curricular content is suggested for upgrading the preparation of multicultural counselors in light of the new standards set by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Some concrete proposals toward implementing CACREP standards are presented.     

Cultivating Multiculturally Competent Counselors Through Movies

Confined by monocultural geographic features or encapsulated life experience, many counselor-training programs or trainees suffer from the lack of a multicultural environment, which could benefit students’ education. Recognizing the limitations in reality, the author introduces the use of movies to counterbalance the disadvantages, while maximizing students’ multicultural counseling competency. Aiming toward helping trainees vicariously reach the culmination of studies in counseling, this article addresses the use of cinemeducation in the context of cross-cultural counseling, via the application of qualitative research methodology. The theoretical underpinning of the movie project, the use of movies to augment students’ multicultural counseling opportunities outside classrooms, and students’ reactions are all discussed.     

East and West: Transpersonal Psychology and Cross-Cultural Counseling

In this article, the authors examine cross-cultural counseling (specifically Western counselor-Eastern client) within a transpersonal psychological framework. A meta-model is presented that allows counselors to adopt attitudes that transcend cultural differences. The benefit for counselors would be a superordinate framework in which various, specific counseling strategies could be better understood.     

Introduction to the Special Issue: Toward Diversity and Cultural Competence in Genetic Counseling

This introduction provides an overview of the professional issues and original research papers in this special issue. The articles address workforce challenges and/or cross-cultural education and communication with culturally and religiously diverse clients. Additional suggestions are made for moving the profession of genetic counseling toward diversity and cultural competence.     

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.     

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.     

Fu tao: guidance in Taiwan seeks a value orientation

The guidance movement in Taiwan, only 20 years old, has paralleled ours in developing from vocational-educational advisement toward personal counseling. There is a basic conflict between traditional Chinese culture grounded in Confucian ideals and rules of behavior, and the highly individualized value orientation on which the counseling movement is predicated. This conflict leads Chinese guidance workers to search their tradition for a more appropriate balance between individual freedom and social responsibility. This article is a cross-cultural comparison exploring some critical implications for the value orientation of our Western democratic society and the counseling movement.     

Cross-Cultural Counseling at the Crossroads: A Dialogue with Clemmont E. Vontress

Clemmont E. Vontress, professor of education at George Washington University, discusses the genesis, status, and future direction of cross-cultural counseling, the subspecialty of which he is a pioneer and frequent contributor to its growing body of literature.     

Counseling applications of RET in a Chinese cultural context

To explore the potential of Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) with clients of Chinese background, a brief review is conducted with respect to parallels between RET philosophy and some key components of Chinese culture and ways in which Chinese think. Arguments are advanced as to why RET is particularly suitable for use within a Chinese cultural context. Issues involved in using RET with Chinese clients are addressed including the appreciation many Chinese have for the logical and rational aspects of RET, the most appropriate type of client-counselor relationship to facilitate RET therapeutic progress, appropriate ways to dispute, and some cautionary words on the use of “emotive methods”. Areas where the RET counselor needs to be particularly sensitive to the cultural background of the client are highlighted. Charles P. Chen holds a master's degree in educational counseling and is currently a Ph.D. student and instructor in the Department of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His interests include cross-cultural and multi-cultural counseling, career counseling, and group counseling.     

The Worldview of Memory Lane

This article is a response to Jacob Belzen’s Towards Cultural Psychology of Religion, Principles, Approaches and Applications (New York: Springer, 2010) from a cross-cultural pastoral perspective and identifies seven issues where the book and cross-cultural pastoral thinking impact each other: definition, research methodology, object of research, flexibility of research, the relationship between cultural and cross-cultural psychology, culture, and private religious experience. Below I will view Belzen’s book through the prism of my primary concerns as a Dutch academic trained in cross-cultural pastoral care and counseling who pastors in a diverse and fluid cultural context.     

Client-Centered Therapy With Diverse Populations: The Universal Within the Specific

It is proposed that in cross-cultural counseling there can be a synthesis of two dichotomous approaches—the culturally specific and the universal. The conclusion is that within the universalistic philosophical stance there is a highly specific process available to the counselor. Client-centered therapy is a therapeutic process that most effectively engages the individual as well as the universal being.     

Going Beyond Cultural Sensitivity on the Road to Multiculturalism: Using the Intercultural Sensitizer as a Counselor Training Tool

Using the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 17 position paper on cross-cultural counseling competencies as an organizing framework, this article provides an overview of the various cross-cultural counseling training models and points to the need to go beyond sensitivity training to actually providing culture-specific knowledge in our training models. The Intercultural Sensitizer (IS) is presented as a training tool that can serve this need. The history, rationale, and development of the IS, previously called the Culture Assimilator, is described. Some illustrative critical incidents from the Asian American Intercultural Sensitizer are also presented. Finally, future direction for the use of the Intercultural Sensitizer as a training tool and potential problems are discussed. Este artículo usa la positión del APA Division 17 en competencias de consejería intercultural como un cuadro organizational para proporcionar un panorama de los diferentes modelos de preparación de consejería intercultural y para indicar la necesidad de llegar más alla que la preparación sensitiva para dar en realidad a los modelos de entrenamiento un conocimiento culturalmente específico. Se presenta El Sensibilizador Intercultural como un instrumento de entrenamiento para cumplir esta necesidad. Se describe la historia, razonadamente, y el desarrollo de El Sensibilizador Intercultural, anteriormente llamado Asimilador Cultural. También se presentan unos incidentes ilustrativos del Sensibilizador Intercultural Americo-asiatico. Finalmente, ademas de discutir la dirección futura para el uso de El Sensibilizador Intercultural como un instrumento de entrenamiento, se habla sobre los posibles problemas.     

Valuing Spirituality Among Native American Populations

Many non-Indian professionals who believe they are using traditional Native American spiritual healing are under a mistaken, even dangerous, impression. They are led to believe that attendance in shamanistic ritual authorizes them to imitate what they have witnessed in their own therapeutic practice. This article introduces some of the tests of body, mind, and spirit that an Indian traditional seeker of spirit power must endure and the context in which these exercises are experienced. Spiritually focused people may relate and communicate on a noncognitive level, allowing for spiritual healing without counselors being invasive and risking disrespectfulness. The article refers to some aspects of cross-cultural counseling that may be helpful as well as culturally and spiritually congruent.