Counseling and Culture: Some Issues

Abstract

Counseling educators are alerted to three issues central to the relationship between counseling and culture: the etic‐emit distinction, the sociology of knowledge, and modernity.

The Marae-based Hui: Intensive induction to cross-cultural counselling, a New Zealand experiment

“…Counsellors recognise, however, that this experience is only the start of a process, and several have expressed a wish to learn more about aspects of Taha Maori, to seek more contact with the Maori as well as the Pacific Island community, and to become more proficient in Maori language. This, in Lee's (1984) terminology, involves both etic and emic experience and validates the point made by Arredondo-Dowd and Gonsalves (1980) about the importance of bilingualism. Within the Auckland University counsellor-training course, many students take a course on Current Issues in Maori Society, taught by a prominent Maori leader who also made a challenging contribution to the Hui that many appreciated.…”

“…Understanding and appreciating the perspective of a client from a different cultural background is only one facet of this task, but it presents a complex training challenge. Lee (1984) suggests that it means acquiring both an etic and emic perspective. The former involves an external study of how one culture differs from another along shared dimensions like notions of mental health.…”

Counsellor training in two different cultures

“…In Nigeria, the limited resources allocated have been clearly assigned to schools and young people. As Lee (1984) rightly observes the theories, techniques and the profession of counselling itself are cultural phenomena reflecting the history, beliefs and values of the culture where it operates. Therefore counsellor training progrm~ames must be responsive to the society where the counsellors are to operate.…”

Racial Identity Development Among Gifted Black Students: Counseling Issues and Concerns

“…As Yalom (1985) noted, acceptance and approval are of the utmost importance in the individual's developmental sequence. Lee (1984) stated that counselors who would work effectively with clients of different cultures must enhance their own knowledge, awareness, and skills. In general, by increasing their knowledge of other cultures, broadening their perspectives of personal values, and learning new skills, counselors better prepare themselves to work with racially and culturally diverse clients.…”