RESPOND TO 1-CLASSMATE

 Kevin K.

Dr Walker: A part of the requirement for this post was to “Create up to a five minute video, using the “record/upload media” function in your discussion settings, discussing career counseling with respect to one minority group of your choosing”.  I have tried two different computers, downloaded Flash Player updates, and still cannot get the video record function to work. I know that I might suffer a grade penalty for not completely following directions, but after a few hours of trying to get this fixed, I will accept any penalty. The following is my script I prepared for the video:

Good Morning Esteemed Colleagues and Dr. Walker,

This morning I will be sharing some insights on multicultural career counseling. In this post (and video), I will share what I have researched in regard to career counseling with respect to one minority group. Since the Week 2 assignment has to do with career counseling a person of Hispanic decent, I decided to stay with that theme and discuss career counseling persons of Hispanic descent.

In order to be a multiculturally sensitive counselor, one has to be committed to a life of self-reflection and growth (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2012). In light of this statement, there is a growing body of research dedicated to the unique nuances of culture-specific competencies when dealing with persons from the non-majority population. According to Santiago-Rivera, Gallardo-Cooper, and Arredondo (2002), there needs to be a heightened awareness of the dynamics of culture, ethnicity and race in dealing with multicultural clients (Flores, Ramos, & Kanagui, 2010). As such, in dealing with persons from a Hispanic background, there will be the need to utilize a unique Latino perspective in order to help a client reach his or her career goals. Some of the cultural implications that a career counselor may consider specifically in a Hispanic’s case includes their choice of language (English or Spanish), their view of stereotyping and racism, and immigration issues all of which can ultimately affect a client’s self-esteem and self-concept while undergoing career counseling (Santiago-Rivera, Gallardo-Cooper, & Arredondo, 2002).

From a historical standpoint, Hispanics have faced many years of discrimination in education, employment, and healthcare. Compounding the Hispanic experience has been generational poverty, the migration experience, and attempts to assimilate to the US culture and a language barrier that impact career decisions. Understanding their particular frames of reference will greatly aid the career counselor in helping a Hispanic client. Some of the frames of reference include identity, the importance of religion and family, and language (Santiago-Rivera, Gallardo-Cooper, & Arredondo, 2002).

As one would agree, multicultural counseling is a wide construct and one needs to be at last aware of the nuances of working with someone of a different culture.

References

Flores, L. Y., Ramos, K., & Kanagui, M. (2010). Applying the cultural formulation approach to career counseling with Latinas/os. Journal of Career Development, 37, 411–422.

Niles, S. & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. (2012). Career development interventions in the 21st century (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

Santiago-Rivera, A. L., Gallardo-Cooper, M., & Arredondo, P. M. (2002). Counseling Latinos and La Familia: A Practical Guide. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications, Inc.

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