Making stereotypes about Hamsa’s culture would harm the working alliance in therapy. The same culture may differ in beliefs and traditions. Counselors must be multiculturally competent and be aware of their prejudices to prevent imposing their ideas onto their clients. Case Study 6: Chu and Bo Chu and Bo met with a family therapist because the parents had difficulty controlling their 14-year-old son. They are Chinese immigrants and were referred to family services via a community agency. Their son has been acting out at school, disrespecting his teachers, and fighting with his peers. The 14-year-old son also appears to have social struggles as he finds it challenging to make new friends and maintain friendships. Chu and Bo have their son enrolled in piano lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays, chess lessons on Tuesdays, and swimming lessons on Thursdays and Saturdays. For the remainder of the days of the week, he works with a tutor and has a rigorous studying schedule that does not allow any time to connect with his peers. Chu and Bo have stringent values related to the priorities of their children and have alluded to the values taught to them by their parents. They complain that his focus should only be on academic work and downplay the significance of interpersonal skills and relationships. The therapist is a White female. Although she was aware of a few cultural factors in counseling Asian families, the therapist was unaware of the Chinese values of educational discipline and obedience to the family. In their session, the therapist stated, “He sounds to be behaving in typical teenage ways.” The therapist was having trouble establishing a good relationship with Chu and Bo, and after the first session, she realized the session did not go as well as she wanted. As the session ended, the therapist scheduled them for the following week. A couple of days later, Chu and Bo canceled their appointment and asked if they could have a referral. The therapist asked if she had upset them in any way, and the mother responded that she did not; however, she did comment that her husband would feel more comfortable if the therapist were an older Asian male. Questions 1. What are some reasons this family did not pursue further counseling with this therapist? 2. Are there culturally salient elements surrounding parenting and values? 3. If you were the new therapist this family decided to work with, how would you begin (after being briefed on issues with the prior therapist)? Rationale The counselor practicing within a culturally humble and social justice orientation would not locate the problem within the individual but would look to the environmental factors that contribute to the individual’s actions and reactions (Sue & Sue, 2016). Gaining information from the client will help the counselor understand the specifics of the culture without the counselor assuming traditions of the culture based on past information gained from other “similar” clients. The counselor should gain information on the cultural values driving their parenting. The counselor should also examine their willingness to allow their son to adopt American values regarding socializing with his peers. Case Study 7: Jerry Jerry is the head of a division in a state agency. He has been in his management position for 20 years and has worked up to his current position. He has seen many people leave and join the department throughout his career. He has stayed because he enjoys public service and working with familiar faces in the agency. He also knows that he brings his many years of experience in a public agency to the table when solving problems. His personality fits the working environment of a state agency; he likes working with familiarity with rules and procedures. Jerry is proud of his service but is looking forward to his retirement, which is not coming soon enough. Within the last few
years, many changes have occurred on a department level that is also changing many of the standard procedures, rules, and norms that Jerry has been accustomed to during his many years in the department. These changes include hiring younger staff, reorganizing job responsibilities, performance plans to increase staff competencies and skills in new areas, and recent layoffs to help balance the budget. As part of his attempt to make his mark on the division and to bring in past experiences that he thinks can be of value, Jerry proposed numerous ideas for the division at a staff meeting. His staff - which, in recent years, has become increasingly more diverse in demographics and cultural backgrounds - suggests improvements and changes to his ideas. They are not so sure that his changes are the most appropriate given the overall strategic directions of the department. Furthermore, they are unsure how to implement strategies when the ideas call for outdated resources and technology. Some of the younger staff members are more vocal and mention recent trends and practices in strategic thinking that could be more beneficial to accomplishing the division goals. Jerry views these suggestions as attacks directed at him and as resistance on the part of the staff. Every time he makes a suggestion, he is thrown a curveball by one of the younger staff members. Why is this happening to him now? He knows he must manage this. He cannot let this dynamic type go on for another five years - or could he? Questions 1. What cultural assumptions fuel Jerry’s perspective as a leader? 2. Where does Jerry’s motivation to lead come from? 3. How would you describe Jerry’s self-concept and influence on his leadership? 4. How much do age and generational values impact this situation? Discussion J erry has several cultural assumptions that can be broken down into different cultural levels: individual, team, organizational, and national cultures. His assumptions and beliefs may include the following: working hard will get you to the top, everyone must obey rules and procedures, and you must have the experience to know what you are doing in a job. This could be why he feels attacked when his younger employees make suggestions. The counselor would need to explore and discuss the difference in generational values so that Jerry can grasp how age impacts work behavior. It is also important to note that Jerry may have been raised in a homogenous culture that did not allow him to interact with others who did not share his same cultural values and belief. This could stem from cohort values based on age. Baby boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) range from their late 50s through retirement. For example, many baby boomers believe the other generations should pay their dues and often complain about the younger generations lacking work ethic/commitment. Moreover, individuals in the baby boomer cohort see respect and communication very differently than millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), and those in generation Z. Jerry might be informed about changing demographics in the workplace. Millennials are already the largest segment in the workplace. By 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be millennials. Thus, learning how to work with millennials is a valuable skill (Key Statistics About Millennials in the Workplace, 2021). Case Study 8: Rachel Rachel, a female student at your college who identifies as genderqueer and often dresses in a traditionally masculine manner, is physically assaulted and injured by three unidentified men in an anti-transgender hate crime the previous evening. The attack occurred on campus, and the perpetrators are thought to be other students. Seeing that you have a “Safe Space” placard on your office door, she (her preferred pronoun) comes to you first for support.
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Book Code: PYMA2024
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