Trustworthiness and expertness are key elements of the counseling process, which are especially relevant when operating with marginalized groups. One should be aware that these qualities ensure that clients will consider a professional credible and qualified for the task. Multicultural interactions in the given field can be observed through a wide range of dimensions, where both counselor’s and client’s ethnic background can shape the dynamics of the overall interaction. Therefore, it is critical to eliminate any points of bias and stereotyping from the procedures.
The quality that makes me credible with my clients is the fact that I am aware of the underlying issues of multicultural counseling. I, as a counselor, am willing to express and convey trustworthiness by assessing the nature of setting, where ethical issues must be resolved (Sue et al., 2019). In addition, one should note that bias and stereotyping can be exhibited by both marginalized and majority groups (Sue et al., 2019). I understand that it is vital to make each case individual-based, where ethnicity and race play a little to no role within the treatment process. For example, I will overcome these major obstacles by removing the influence of the “who-is-more-oppressed-game” (Sue et al., 2019). Thus, a client will primarily focus on his or her own issues rather than discussing the subject of race.
In conclusion, trustworthiness and expertness can be conveyed by fully addressing individual problems and shifting the group-based thinking towards the former approach. Although biases and stereotypes can be observed on both sides of Whites and minority groups, they can be overcome through deliberate paradigm shifts. These issues need to be eliminated because they will hinder the counseling process and might lead to incorrect interaction between the professional and client.
Reference
Sue, D. W., Sue, D., Neville, H. A., & Smith, L. (2019). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Wiley.