culture draft

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Florida State College at Jacksonville *

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4945

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Arts Humanities

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Describe what you have observed about your own cultural make-up in contrast to other cultures you have experienced in your fieldwork in relation to these variables. Sense of self, including assumptions about autonomy and responsibility to others Research has shown that the way individuals think about their autonomy and responsibility to others can have important implications for their mental health and well-being (De-Juanas et al., 2020). For example, individuals who have a strong sense of autonomy but who are not aware of their responsibility to others may be more likely to engage in self-centered behaviors that can harm their relationships with others and ultimately lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Conversely, individuals who have a strong sense of responsibility to others but who do not feel that they have control over their own lives may be more likely to experience feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, which can also have negative effects on their mental health. All of the clients I have had the opportunity to work with thus far are native to the United States however, their backgrounds, how they were raised, and how and when their trauma occurred and for how long is all very different. Our organization is rooted in a Christian foundation with very clear values and norms. Many of the clients are not familiar with this type of culture, some are but have been away from it for some time. Most of them have a lower sense of self and tend to be self- centered. We as an organization, know this is not their fault and practice patience, love, and tolerance with them as they begin the healing process. Utilizing skills such as empathy, communication, and problem-solving allows me to consider the clients perspective, the needs of the others, along with my own to ensure there is autonomy in the atmosphere. By cultivating a sense of self that is both independent and interconnected, I am able to build strong relationships with the clients to better serve them through their healing process. Communication and language, including verbal and nonverbal expression One of the skills I have been working on throughout my internship is my communication and non-verbal expression. Difficult clients are the most challenging, and I am learning to soften my tone and my body posture. I learned that because of my own trauma I can easily shift to fight or flight, and my body gets tense, and my tone is off when I am under stress. I found a bi-lateral vibration device that can be worn in my pockets or on my wrists that very quickly can calm my nervous system within seconds. This has been extremely helpful for me. Understanding of and relationship to authority In my fieldwork, we have one ultimate authority, and that is God. From supervisors to presidents to board members to clients there is a mutual respect within the organization and the culture of the organization being Christian based has everything to do with that. Hersong is all women staff and clients, and we call each other sisters in Christ. We hold different positions, but the organization is not like anything I have ever experienced. The culture, values, and norms that we practice in our lives we model to the clients as an exemplary way of living, we do this over the course of 12-36 months in hopes that the social constructs and healthy relationship skills that are modeled can be carried into the client’s own lives after leaving the program. There is a hierarchy, but we treat each other equally with utmost respect. Spirituality/religious beliefs and/or practices To have the freedom to practice my faith and share it with clients and staff openly is the most amazing gift. I can recall my first day on the job and going into staff/client devotion as the first thing we do each day, and thinking “wow, is this real”. All clients are interviewed prior to coming and must be accepted by our intake team (even if being court ordered). What that means is, they are aware of the program being faith based, and they agree to participate in the programing that is faith based. This does not mean they all believe in God, or that they are Christians. We do not judge them, but we stand firm in our beliefs when it comes to the Bible. In 2 years 100% have surrendered their lives to Christ during their time in the program. And that is our mission.

Use of space In the homes the clients live in we allow them to have some say so in the arrangement of furniture, if they want to plant a garden they can, we try to provide a safe space for them to learn how to steward a home. Many of the clients lack basic living skills and we provide homes, a learning center (for classes and our office), and vehicles for transportation. Each staff member has their own space as well as each client, and then there are common spaces that we all share for groups, meetings, watching tv, studying, crafts, exercise, and meals. We support each other, staff and clients, and as staff we model how to keep a space clean and maintained. Use of time Time is one of the most valuable commodities we possess. We focus on spending time with each client individually and in groups. Between 10-3 daily the clients are in the office and they are our priority. The emails, phone calls, meetings all can happen before or after they leave. Many of the cultural values and themes of the organization are not what the majority of society follows. It is very different to be a part of something like this. An example of this, last week I got to work at 830, the leadership above me decided they did not want us working between 830-930, they suggested going into my office and praying or listening to worship, but make sure I didn’t work. They felt that hour spent with God and alone would benefit us in the work we do far more than answering emails or making calls. And they were right. We still got everything done and had more positive influence and mindset for the days. Food and customs around eating I currently am working on changing my beliefs and the culture of food for everyday in my life. Taking this Biblical culture that I embrace in my work as well as my personal life, the deeper rooted in the culture of this way of life I become the more it pertains to every aspect of my life. And gluttony is a sin, food is meant to nourish our bodies, fasting has spiritual benefits as well as health benefits. All of these things are fairly new to me. I have always believed in God, but to practice this lifestyle and culture on a daily basis has been a developing thing over the last 10 years. Holidays such as Christmas which certainly a custom followed by Christians and typically involves a great feast. However, I recently have realized that our American culture has turned a beautiful holiday celebration into gluttony. While I intend to celebrate the birth of Jesus with family, I will be praying and trying not to be gluttonous this year. With regards to the internship, we try to share healthy biblical values around customs, and we like to celebrate and have a good time. We believe it is important to model healthy living and eating to help clients learn a new way to live. Attitudes toward work My work is an act of service to the clients we serve and to the Lord. I believe I have been called into a purpose for a spiritual battle. My work is done not only for a means of living, but I answered a call on my life. I believe there are peoples souls that are dependent on my obedience to the call. That viewpoint is certainly rooted in my own belief system which I believe is true. But being able to communicate rationally with others’ views on work or what they have been called to do is completely within the scope of what I do daily. Definitions of success Success is a relative term. Making it through the day with out harming anyone could be considered success. Eating a burger with a white shirt and not getting ketchup on it, could be success. Completing a college degree could be considered success. Loving my daughter well could be considered success. Helping someone in need could be success. Success looks different and takes many forms. For me I think it has more to do with finding joy in the small things and the brokenness and serving people. There is a peace that I found that only the Lord gives me and I think when I have that peace of the Lord that is success. It doesn’t come from things or accolades; it comes from spending time with him. That view contrasts with most of the world. The society that we live in, many of my views are very different. I am aware of that, and I don’t feel I have to defend it or change other people. I try my hardest to be like Jesus and love people in spite of whatever they do or believe. Love is a universal language, and it is cross- cultural. Beliefs about health and healing It is my belief that health and healing can be achieved through healthy living, which includes consuming whole natural foods, engaging in regular exercise, and combining modern medicine with

holistic practices. This approach is backed by science and is not disputable in my opinion. While I am open to different customs regarding health and healing, I cannot be convinced that poor diet or artificial ingredients and dyes are good for mental or physical health. In the program that I work with, most clients have limited knowledge of health and healing. Therefore, we have started focusing on nutrition as an area of importance. The clients have not had stable housing and diet for some time, and lack the knowledge of how to eat healthy. Once they receive food stamps, their poor diet choices are leading to health problems such as diabetes and obesity. According to Marson, individuals who have a history of trauma can have their health significantly impacted through their health markers, eating habits, the gut biome, and the brain(Marson, 2021). In light of this, we have decided to add a class to our Hersong curriculum, which focuses on Trauma Informed Health and Nutrition. This will help our clients understand the importance of healthy eating and how it can positively impact their overall health and well-being. Beliefs about giving and receiving help I believe we are here to help others. I also believe we are to receive help when offered or in need. In relation to the client base we serve, this view is typically not adopted by the clients until further along in the program. They do typically begin to want to help the new ladies coming in and receive the help being offered after an initial period of adjustment. Beliefs about how relationships should be conducted I believe and the organization believes the Bible is very clear on how relationships are to be conducted. We strive to follow that model and to teach it to the clients. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” ( Ephesians 4:2-3). To become effective in working with diverse groups, it is important for practitioners to intentionally build their competence and skills in cross-cultural helping and navigating through various human differences. This involves gaining knowledge about different cultures and a wide range of human differences through study and direct experience. Additionally, practitioners must develop a greater awareness of their own cultural background and understand the human differences that they themselves embody. It also involves decreasing ethnocentrism and increasing respect for other traditions, perspectives, and worldviews. By developing these basic competencies, practitioners can better work with diverse groups and build positive relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds (Keiser, 2016). In a faith-based organization like I work for this subject of ethnocentrism is a little different than would be in a typical organization. Our primary purpose is to win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Christian worldview by definition is ethnocentric (Arasaratnam-Smith, 2017) . A Christian worldview claims that there is only one path to salvation (John 14:6), which makes this assignment a little challenging, but I will do my best to honestly approach it in the context of myself and my internship and a career in a faith-based organization. The way the organization and we as believers handle the ethnocentrisms, by allowing the clients to be who they are. We don’t change them. It’s not our job. God does. We don’t have to push our beliefs on them. We are living testimonies to the goodness and sovereignty of the Lord. One experience that taught me a lesson about ethnocentrism with a client was when an African American young woman came into our program after being released from a year-long prison sentence. She had previously worked in the hair industry and was very focused on contacting her

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