Legal and Ethics Affiliation: What do you consider to be the main ethical issues incounselling cultural diverse clients?
The most important is being culturally sensitive to patients by respecting the roles of the family members as well as showing respect to their community hierarchies, values and community structures. Most people are sensitive about their community and their families and if not approached properly, become offended and may even leave therapy. The therapist should therefore tread carefully when it comes to family issues and the community showing respect and cultural sensitivity (Gielen, Draguns and Fish, 2008).
How can you apply the six guidelines to your work in the human services field?
The guidelines will be of great help in dealing with issues of multiculturalism and employing diversity to all clients. They give directives on how to interact and gain confidence of culturally diverse clients and this is through becoming culturally sensitive about their culture. I will first of all conduct culture-centred research in order to understand the culture of the group from their linguistic to their cultural background in order to be culturally compliant (Lee, 2006).
Reflect on how you would deal with the cultural issues in the case from an ethical perspective.
The case is of Cynthia who wants to go back to school and start her own career but her husband threatens to divorce her if she does so. The main dilemma is on whether to follow her dreams and go against her husband’s wishes and the culture of just continue feeling depressed and take care of her family (Corey, Corey and Callanan, 2010). Going against her husband will cause her to lose him but will have her happiness and obeying him will lead to more depression to an extent of not even being able to take care of her family. The family is important in this culture and so is obeying the husband because he is the head of the family. The best way to handle this is to make Cynthia be aware of the pros and cons in either of the decision and whether she is ready to handle the cons of her decision. Make her decide what will bring her utmost happiness while at the same time taking care of her children effectively without having to compromise much with the culture. This is walking her through her problems without making any decisions for her but letting her decide for herself slowly.
References
Corey, G., Corey, M. and Callanan, P. (2010). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. New York: Cengage Learning.
Gielen, U., Draguns, J. and Fish, J. (2008). Principles of Multicultural Counseling and Therapy. New Jersey: Taylor & Francis.
Lee, C. (2006). Multicultural issues in counseling: new approaches to diversity. Washington DC: American Counselling Association.
