Teaching Diagnosis in Context: Guided Imagery as a Contextually Sensitive Pedagogical Technique

“Listen louder”: Counselor trainee understanding of diversity in diagnosis

“…Reflective activities to bolster self‐awareness can better inform ongoing multicultural development (Ratts et al., 2015; Sue et al., 2019). Counselor educators can support ongoing growth and self‐awareness by utilizing creative interventions to facilitate cultural empathy (e.g., the use of analogies; Suthakaran, 2011; use of guided imagery; Kress et al., 2014). Additionally, counselor educators would benefit from engaging in their own reflexive practices to increase their own growth and self‐awareness.…”

“…Diversity plays a role in mental health diagnosis, particularly among individuals from marginalized backgrounds (Hays et al., 2010). However, there is paucity of research examining how diversity is taught to CTs, particularly when incorporating diversity into diagnosis courses (Kress et al., 2014). As counselor educators are called to infuse diversity into all coursework, attention is needed to how diversity plays a role in each element of counseling curriculum (Vereen et al., 2008).…”

“…Eriksen and Kress (2008) asserted that counselors may assign diagnoses based on stereotypes, such as along gender or race. Kress et al (2014) argued that how individuals make sense of diagnosis, such as the values, attitudes, and experiences they associate with diagnoses, is largely informed by cultural experiences. Just as all counseling is multicultural counseling (Sue et al, 2019), all diagnosis is multicultural diagnosis (Kress et al, 2014).…”

“…Some counselor educators have suggested interventions to better attend to diagnosis processes. Kress et al (2014) and Jones and Granello (2008) argued for creative teaching tools, while Fong (1993) recommended decision trees and problem-solving models. Regardless of methods, counselor educators still face balancing content and process within diagnosis courses (Kress et al, 2014) in which diversity may be overlooked or omitted.…”

“…There is a paucity of research examining how counselor educators teach diagnosis courses (Kress et al., 2014). Fong (1993) asserted that diagnosis courses should address both content and process, and center on diagnostic criteria and developing CT diagnostic skills.…”