Looking for life means has always motivated people from different countries to abandon their homes and search for better environments. Developed countries usually possess working places and peaceful surroundings. The first stage reveals the theme of immigrants’ difficult experiences of traveling and living in the U.S. (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Many participants state that they face severe attitudes from local people (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Some suffer from being alienated and missing their motherland (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Mexicans go through dangerous journeys to arrive in the U.S. and start living their new lives (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). I, as a counselor, would show empathy towards my clients and create the surrounding that would fit their emotional experience of life’s hard stages. I would also foster their desire for opportunities through positive motivational predictions.
Mexican immigrants usually travel to the U.S. alone, leaving their families at home. It becomes a hard experience and results in deep psychological trauma. The second stage of emotional reactions reveals the theme of sequential family immigration (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Many participants suffer from anxiety, sadness, and fear caused by separation from other family members (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). These people are forced to adjust to dramatically opposite rules in life. I would help my clients to develop the skills that help to change their inner emotional state and introduce the methods of coping with new challenges.
One of the most important aspects of successful immigration is the adjustment. Going through this stage is always difficult for newcomers, but the faster it passes, the better a person feels in a new environment. The theme of assimilation is raised on this level, highlighting various challenges for immigrants (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Mexicans must change every aspect of their ordinary life: transition to school, and work, learn new rules, learn a new language, and change habits (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). As a counselor, I would help my clients to search for adapted establishments in the U.S. For instance, the communities with Mexican environments, where schools, jobs, and other facilities could be found. Such support would develop self-assurance in my clients, leading to their faster assimilation process.
The main reason why Mexicans immigrate to the U.S. is their battle for a better future. It is one of the themes revealed in the fourth stage – rationalization (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). Such a radical change as immigration to another country has a strong driver for every person. Many participants state that moving to America is caused by their desire to receive a quality education, earn more money, and provide their families, especially children, with excellent life conditions (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). To help them in the realization of their intentions, I would provide some feedback that could be informative for them. It would contain information for facilitating their potential development and personal self-affirmation.
After all the settlement, an immigrant starts to realize what they went through. Analyzing all the past and future difficulties is the component of the fifth stage, called acknowledgment, where the theme of acceptance is presented (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). The participants possess some sense of acknowledgment for their immigration, but most of them struggle to accept the American way of life (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). It means they accept reality but do not feel satisfaction or happiness from what they have in a new country (Serrata & Fischer, 2013). As a counselor, I would acknowledge the growth of my clients and collaborate with them to treat their unsatisfied state of mind.
References
Serrata, C., & Fischer, J. (2013). Stages of displacement: The immigration experience of Latinos. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 44(4), 10–16. Web.