School Counseling in Belize: Poised for Great Development

Relational Cultural Theory: A Guiding Framework for Study Abroad Experiences

“…Well-designed study-abroad programs support different aspects of cultural competence development, including increased self-awareness, reduced bias, and a better understanding of diverse communities (Alexander, Kruczek, & Ponterotto, 2005;Barden & Cashwell, 2014;Canfield, Low, & Hovestadt, 2009;Dietz et al, 2017;Dietz & Baker, 2019;Jaoko, 2010;Pope-Davis, Breaux, & Liu, 1997). Specifically, counseling students who have increased global literacy through study-abroad programs can transfer knowledge that promotes holistic wellness across diverse contexts (Smith-Augustine & Wagner, 2012).…”

“…• Authenticity is understood as the capacity to bring real experiences, feelings, experiences for students. Although students may not provide direct service to clients who represent the countries visited, the depth of relational and cultural awareness received from study-abroad experiences benefits all clients (Dietz et al, 2017;Smith-Augustine & Wagner, 2012). Students may become more aware of commonalities in the universal human experience, which may deepen their empathy and understanding for clients in their home countries.…”

“…Considering the importance of authenticity, the faculty directors initially met to discuss the need to host an international education experience for their students based on the observation that many of the students in their master's program had never traveled outside their regions of the state or out of the country. Furthermore, drawing upon research findings (Dietz & Baker, 2019;Smith-Augustine & Wagner, 2012), faculty directors believed international educational experiences would enhance the cultural competence of pre-service counselors. The faculty directors had never participated in or facilitated a study-abroad program.…”