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Multicultural Key Strategies Multicultural Skills Training Team
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Facilitating Cultural Identity Development Multicultural Skills Training:
Operationalizing a Treatment, Training, and Research Model
ID1. Assessing Identity Development a. Literature: “Cultural identity development is a major determinant of...client attitudes toward the self, others of the same group, and the dominant group” (Sue, Ivey, & Pedersen, 1996, p. 17). b. Marker: IF culture is a salient variable in psychotherapy, THEN it may be helpful to explore experiences and attitudes that indicate a particular stage of identity development. c. Consequence: IF experiences and attitudes related to culture are assessed, THEN interventions can be adapted to clients' stage of identity development. d. Example: “You told me that you've been feeling kind of `down' on Filipinos lately and don't like hanging out with your high school friends. Do you have any ideas about why you feel uncomfortable with people from your own culture right now?” ID2. Exploring the Relative Value of Different Cultures a. Literature: CONFORMITY STAGE (Pre-Encounter): External self-definition; Devaluing of own group; Allegiances to White standards of merit (Helms, 1995). b. Marker: IF clients are at the conformity stage, THEN exploring how they may value or devalue their own group or culture may be useful. c. Consequences: IF clients explore the value of different cultures, THEN they may become aware of how they overvalue or undervalue their own perspective. d. Example: “I wonder if you felt like you had to be `less Filipino' to fit in at the university and succeed in this environment?” ID3. Recognizing Cultural Encounters a. Literature: DISSONANCE STAGE (Encounter): Ambivalence & confusion about commitment to own group; Ambivalent socioracial self-definition (Helms, 1995). b. Marker: IF clients do not recognize the impact of culture, THEN it may be appropriate to help them to look at the context in which they interact. c. Consequence: IF clients recognize cultural encounters, THEN they will begin to see themselves in context and understand why they may feel valued or devalued in different settings. d. Example: “Do you think you were treated differently in that situation because you are Filipino? Do you think ethnicity shaped the way you were perceived?” ID4. Processing Encounters with Culture, Oppression, or Difference a. Literature: ENCOUNTER STAGE: Experiencing an encounter may be negative (a racist event) or positive (exposure to own culture). Personalizing the encounter involves being turned around by the experience (Cross, 1995). b. Marker: IF clients experience cultural conflicts or new cultural experiences, THEN it may be helpful for them to explore strong feelings or confusing thoughts. c. Consequence: IF clients have help processing encounters with oppression or difference, THEN they should be able to respond with more accurate thoughts, adaptive feelings, and effective actions. d. Example: “That sounds like a really upsetting interaction. Let's slow down and explore what happened. I'm going to ask you what you were thinking and feeling in each part of the story.” ID5. Embracing Culture, Exploring Identity, & Cultivating Pride a. Literature: IMMERSION / EMERSION STAGE: Idealization of one's socioracial group; Denigration of that which is perceived as White (Helms, 1995). b. Marker: IF clients have experienced oppression, THEN psychotherapists may want to encourage clients to explore cultural practices and cultivate pride. c. Consequence: IF clients embrace their own culture, THEN they are expected to have greater self esteem and higher psychological functioning. However, there may also be hypervigilance and dichotomous thinking. d. Example: “Based on the way we've been exploring your Filipino background in here, I'm wondering what it felt like to be at the family reunion this weekend. Did it feel different to be immersed in your culture now than it would have in the past?” ID6. Internalizing Culture and Valuing Others a. Literature: INTERNALIZATION & INTEGRATIVE AWARENESS STAGE: Positive commitment to one's own group; Capacity to empathize and collaborate with members of other groups (Helms, 1995). b. Marker: IF clients are emerging from an intense period of cultural pride, THEN it may be helpful for them to view cultural identity as only one of many facets of life. c. Consequences: IF a psychotherapist facilitates internalization, THEN there should be more internal self-definition and openness to different groups. d. Example: “I'm glad you feel more comfortable having Filipino, White, and Hawaiian friends again. Can you tell me why it feels more comfortable to hang out with haoles and Hawaiians now than it did before?”
Copyright © 2004
Jeff E. Brooks-Harris.
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