African American Counselor Barriers

When beginning work with the client, there were a number of apparent differences between her and myself, including age, race, and social class. As previously stated I had to become more culturally competent about working with African American clients before I started seeing the client. Furthermore, I had to become aware of the difficulties that would be present due to our age difference. I made sure to give Betty the opportunity to tell me how situations made her feel, and empathized with her, making sure to help her feel as though I understood even though I was much younger and had not experienced what she had. Additionally, the client and I come from different social classes. I had to make certain that she did not feel judged during our sessions, and provided her with the resources necessary to assist her in overcoming barriers. Sands and Gellis (2011) indicate that African American cultural values and norms derive from a number of situations, which include responses and adaptations to the oppression, poverty, and racism, which made them victims. Knowing and understanding the various differences that I would face working with the client helped to better prepare me for sessions.

Savings the lives of african american boys and men requires providing them role models whose behavior habits represent the traits necessary to lead morally successful and honest lives. Role models for young african american men are not hard to find. These three young african american leaders in education, business, and religion are committed to being role models for the community and expanding the image of black male relationship. They may not be household names but through their efforts they are transforming the lives of young african american men throughout the country. These men use their subject matter expertise to provide life lessons for young men in need of assistance. Their commitment to service is a critical asset in saving lives of young african american boys and men.

Adolescence can be the most crucial part of a person’s development. It is the time of transition into adulthood. The experiences gathered this time of a person’s life have lasting effects that linger long into adulthood. Proper guidance and support during this time is a person’s life is essential to ensuring that the person is able to become a successful adult in society. However, many African-American youth are lacking this type of support and guidance during this critical stage in life. Disproportionately some African American male adolescents aren’t provided proper mechanisms for their transition to manhood. Some sociologists believe that the lack of a rites of

Furthermore, this essay gives a perspective on what a Black man goes through. Brent wanted to enlighten his readers about daily life as an African American man. This meant explaining his view of the public from his perspective. By bringing these issues to light, he

In this paper I discuss the African-American culture in regards to values, norms and beliefs.

Across the nation, millions of Americans of all races turn on the television or open a newspaper and are bombarded with images of well dressed, articulate, attractive black people advertising different products and representing respected companies. The population of black professionals in all arenas of work has risen to the point where seeing a black physician, attorney, or a college professor are becoming more a common sight. More and more black people are holding positions of respect and authority throughout America today, such as Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Condelezza Rice and many other prominent black executives. As a result of their apparent success, these black people are seen as role models for many Americans, despite their race.

For Black people, race is a never-ending conscious component of life in America. We live in a country with a history of slavery that, once ended, extended into an institution and system of laws; Jim Crow, that continue to keep members of the Black community “othered” and invisible. The threefold purpose of this writing is to discuss how the treatment of African-American patients engaging in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytically informed psychotherapy - as they exist today - fails to meet their full potential in the healing of the Black psyche; and to consider how the training curriculum can be expanded to include writings of Black psychoanalysts; and to encourage the analytic community to be opened up to include more analysts of

All my life my parents have taught me the value of helping others. Having different experiences and growing up in an atmosphere where the need of others were put before our own, led me to have a desire to be a social worker. Believing that being a social worker involves many special skills, as an example one of those that u need to interact with people from different cultures and principles than me. For as long as I remember I have had the desire to become a social worker inspiring people and developing people that will drive me to dedicate my excitement and dedication to do what is important in this dream job a reality.

Parham’s video presented to me a counseling method that I do not believe I would be comfortable doing as a White, agnostic man. Multicultural class has shown that psychology research has been Euro-centric and minority populations have been pathologized. I appreciate Parham’s approach and how it engaged the client in finding support through spirituality and interconnectedness, but I do not believe an African American client would respond to me as they did to him. Parham stated African-centered psychology defines the African psychological experience from an African perspective, a perspective that reflects an African orientation.

On the very first day of the class, Introduction to the Black Experience, we learned that people are defined by their culture and geography. We are also defined by the gaze of others and our own gaze. This realization led me to contemplate what the “black experience” means to me. As a first generation Haitian-American woman at Wellesley College, it has become clearer to me how important the language and culture of parents has been in shaping my identity. I have also begun to think more critically about how my identity as a woman of color separates me from black brothers as well as my white peers at Wellesley.

Racism against African Americans and other ethnicities is still prevalent in our society. Salis (2015) mentions a recent poll of Caucasian and African Americans and found that sixty percent of those surveyed felt racial relationships ha vent improved and forty percent felt they were worse. In this paper, I will identify how a counselor can reduce the effects of racism and discrimination that has affected African Americans. Additionally, I will address what role a counselor plays in reducing the stigma of mental illness within the African American community. Furthermore, I will highlight the legal and ethical issues identified in the video

How can counselors work to lessen the effects of racism and discrimination that have impacted Native Americans and Asian Americans? (1

As a counselor, some of the challenges I would need to consider when working with African American clients is trust. Because many have experience discrimination and are labeled by other cultures. Another challenges would be helping clients receive other resources to help them to pay for services. Many African Americans do not have health insurance and cannot afford to pay out of their pocket for

The Afrocentric Perspective acknowledges the beginning creation of blacks in America. It is a way of thinking about people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. It is used as a tool to define the strengths and problems faced by African Americans and other groups. Afrocentric Perspective identifies African Americans search for freedom, justice, and equality. This perspective emphasizes to the group of people that are promoting the different laws or labels towards the African American class as a lower class ranking. For example, while researching the two study issues the statics were only focusing on African American culture. The two study issues were how binge drinking may play a role in health issues and academic failure, which are stigmatizing the African American class as lower than others. It places value on the strengths, resilience, and uniqueness of different population groups and offers service responses that respect cultural integrity of these groups. It also points out the different survival patterns of African American so that people from other cultures can get a clearer understanding of the circumstances that are affecting the way they live or work. This perspective looks to educate people, evoke a spiritual awakening in people, and elicit political power and activism in people as a means to enhance all lives (Wiley,1991).

Multicultural group counseling takes place when a counselor and/or clients are from differing cultural, race, and/or ethnicity groups. Due to the significant demographic changes that are occurring in the United States, multiculturalism is becoming increasingly important. When acting as a multicultural group counselor, it is important to modify techniques to reflect the cultural differences of the client, be prepared to deal with difficulties during the counseling process, and understand the way culturally diverse people conceptualize their problems as well how they resolve them (Gladding, 2012). In order to be an effective multicultural counselor, it is important that one is aware of their cultural heritage, understands how their cultural background affects their attitudes, values, and beliefs, recognizes the limitations of their multicultural expertise and/or competency, and identify the root of their discomfort with different clients (Gladding, 2012). One can implement these through three key aspects Gladding (2012) outlined in his book and effective leadership skills.