Post Type: ARTICLES
The United States is a culturally, ethnically, and racially diverse country. Culture shapes people’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. Young people may find it difficult to talk to an adult from a culture or community different from their own.
If you are counseling a young person with a cultural background different from your own, there can be additional challenges in communication. In some cultures, it is common to describe emotional distress using physical terms rather than emotional terms (e.g. complaints about stomach aches and headaches rather than anxiety or fearfulness). You may find it to be more effective to first establish a warm and trusting relationship with the young person’s family, discussing strengths and interests about the young person, before sharing your concerns about the young person’s situation or condition. Gain knowledge of the local services (clergy, layperson, mental health) that are effective with and acceptable to members of this person’s cultural group before recommending where the young person can go for help.
It is important to know about the different cultural and racial groups in your community and what makes these groups unique without generalizing. For example, when confronted with a mental health/behavioral challenge, Chinese Americans generally use family and community resources first and mental health services as a last resort. In addition, each family will have different acculturation experiences within each generation that will influence their approach to mental health services. It may be more effective for you to first ask what the young person would want rather than jumping to the conclusion that they want a therapist. Sometimes, a young person will be more comfortable talking to an adult from their own culture than to someone from a different culture.
It is important, however, not to make assumptions about the young person’s needs solely on their cultural background. Ask questions about what the young person needs rather than acting on the basis of what you think they need. Ask questions about what has happened to the young person rather than what is wrong with them. Remember that it is more important to make the young person feel comfortable, respected, cared for and heard than to do all the right things and follow all the rules.
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