ASU Psychology Discussion

Question: Does a counselor of color have to be in integrative awareness to be helpful to clients of color? Please explain your answer with examples.

This is the post to respond to below: NO site refences please!

Post: I don’t think that a counselor of color must be in integrative awareness to be helpful to clients of color, but I do think that it’s the goal and the ideal state to be in to be most effective. In the integrative awareness state, a counselor of color understands group-level identity and universal identity as well as his or her individual identity and can postulate appreciating attitudes upon persons of any race including their own. The counselor can understand the client’s worldview, not just because they’re of the same group but because the counselor is accepting of the client as an individual.

Example: A counselor of color who recognizes and understands the racism and oppression that their client is experiencing.

A counselor of color who resigns themselves to interacting with clients of color such as in the dissonance status could possibly be helpful when understanding and accepting them and building rapport. This counselor identifies with the client and is his or her own process of discovery. The client may prefer someone who is more knowledgeable about what they are experiencing, and the counselor identifies with him or her.

Example: A counselor who is questioning their identity meets a client who is open to self-exploration and can help them process identity conflicts.