Explain cultural considerations that the counselor must account for when working with a client from
each of the following groups
Immigrants (Documented and Undocumented)
Immigrants are faced with various challenges that force them to move to new locations legally or illegally. The hardships increase when their plans hit an impasse and are forced to live in the shadows, while taking up dirty jobs with meager earnings, and hide in their locations to avoid arrest and deportation. The majority of immigrants move in search of humanitarian protection; sadly, the lack of a regulated documentation system makes it harder for them to have a legal residence in the host country. Besides, the individuals are faced with difficult choices, which threaten their mental and physical health during the journey and their time of stay, hence the need for counseling to ease the tension and pressure.
Counseling immigrants.
The counselors are expected to consider their clients’ cultural backgrounds before choosing the right therapeutic style for each of them. The majority of immigrants are familiar with bullying and stereotyping, but lack the essence of counseling because it is rarely an aspect of their development. Thus, the counselor must understand their lingual capacities, and include an interpreter in any hindrances. In most cases, parents and their children can have different linguistic experiences because they will interact with other peers and learn a few words. However, the parents, especially the undocumented ones, end up interacting with people from similar cultures and rarely with residents to avoid detection. Second, counsellors should consider bicultural stress as it affects the parents’ and children’s understanding of the world. The clients are often embedded in two cultures, with two conflicting values and expectations. It is best if the therapist took a neutral position and used open communication before making an overall judgment that would not force the client into a cultural dilemma.
Refugees.
Unlike immigrants, refugees are forced to leave their countries for humanitarian protection against war, prosecution, and natural disasters. The process threatens their mental health, and thus, counseling programs are recommended. The counselor is supposed to respect their cultural reflections like language and religious diversity. The language barrier hinders access to essential services like medical attention, especially in the absence of an interpreter. Second, the therapist should understand past trauma’s personal experiences and the need to make the client open up. This can be done by providing safe spaces that will empower the client to speak up and lay open their fears and traumatic experiences. Lastly, a person’s social habits are crucial counseling since they define appropriate and uncouth behavior. For example, Mexican immigrant students who understand Spanish and a few English words might be forced to use violence to fend off his bullies. Understanding this pattern is essential for counseling.
Discuss the cultural issues and trends that specifically apply to each of the following regional population groups.
- The Hmong in California.
California has the largest Hmong population in the states with more than 286,211 people as of the 2013 report, followed closely with Minnesota, which has more than 100,000 individuals. Besides, the median age is twenty-two years, with an average household size of five percent. The Hmong refugees and immigrants face significant cultural issues and trends that distinguish them from Caucasian or legal U.S citizens. The major problems faced by these group is the unfamiliarity and distrust of health care services and clinicians. Traditionally, these group views illness as a supernatural occurrence influenced the Tlan (Sprits). Although these traditions have been neutralized by globalization, such beliefs are still carried around, making it harder for a Hmong to accept treatment without validation from the cultural practices. The second trend is their lifestyle that differs from the U.S, such as industrialization and mechanization. For instance, those who are unaware of the perishable goods and refrigeration will end up eating contaminated foods that cause illnesses.
- Cuban Americans in Florida
The population of Cubans in American cities like Florida dramatically increased after the former president, Obama’s announcement of the country’s renewed ties. The majority of groups enter the town through entry ports searching for economic reasons like migrant contracts while others come as refugees from military dictatorship. The Cuban Americans are conservatives and politically active, compared to other native and Hispanic groups. According to Mastropasqua (2015), the second and third-generation Cubans have a strong connection with their host country, unlike the first generation (new arrivals) who are more concerned with boosting their economic opportunities. The majority of Cubans speak Spanish, which means language and cultural barriers are among the issues facing these groups in Florida. The city has a different culture than Cuba; thus, adopting the new system is often a challenge for the immigrants and refugees.
- Hispanic Americans in the Southwest
The southwest hosts sixty percent of Hispanic Americans in five states: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, California, and Texas. The group is considered the fastest growing in America and are expected to surpass 130 marks by 2050. Ideally, there are top ten Hispanic groups in the U.S, such as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and Colombians, each with different cultural beliefs and practices. The major cultural issues are language, religion, gender conflicts, and education, among others. The named groups use Spanish lingua, making it harder to access essential services like medication and education opportunities. The cultural disparities make the group vulnerable to bullying in schools, workplaces and stereotyping. Also, gender conflicts are quite hard to deal with because some of these issues extend to mobility, marriage, and violence. Thus, integration with the southwest system is like a second journey for the involved persons.
- Kurdish Americans in Tennessee
The Kurds are often considered American allies from the Iranian, Iraqi, and Syrian ethnic groups and are thus openly welcome in the country as immigrants or refugees. Tennessee has a significant population of Kurdish origin followed by Texas and Nashville, to mention a few. The considerable issues among this group are the religious barriers that make them vulnerable to stereotyping. The middle eastern community, especially from Iran, Iraq, and Syria are often associated with terrorism due to the rich Islamic history and its groups like the al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden. The cultural barriers are rampant because the Muslims operate more conserved and thus have a tradition for every activity, and the gender roles are well defined.