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If you’re considering becoming a clinical mental health counselor, you need to learn about more than just mental health conditions and therapeutic techniques – it is essential that you also learn cultural competence in counseling.

Cultural competence is a critical skill set that is needed to effectively help clientele from diverse backgrounds improve their mental health and live happier, more fulfilling lives. Through cultural competence, mental health counselors use cultural awareness and knowledge to better understand and support their clients.

Here’s an overview of what it means to be a culturally competent counselor today and how practitioners can use this skill set to better meet the mental health needs of their clientele. It’s also important to choose a mental health counseling master’s program that teaches you how to become a culturally competent counselor.

What is cultural competence in counseling?

When a counselor has cultural competence, that mental health professional understands how a client’s cultural background shapes who they are as a person. They are also sensitive to the unique needs of that client based on their cultural identity, and they can provide counseling responses and therapies that are tailored to those needs.

In terms of cultural competence, a client’s cultural background can refer to a number of different things, including but not limited to their:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Socioeconomic status
• Sexual orientation / gender identity

The American Psychological Association (APA) as “possession of the skills and knowledge that are appropriate for and specific to a given culture,” as well as the “ability to collaborate effectively with individuals from different cultures in personal and professional settings.”

According to the APA, maintaining cultural competence requires “recognition of the diversity both between and within cultures, a capacity for cultural self-assessment, and a willingness to adapt personal behaviors and practices.”

Culture is central to counseling in that it tells the story of how we adapt, cope, communicate, and connect. Omitting culture from the clinical process by treating everyone the same impairs the therapeutic relationship and case conceptualization, limiting the opportunity for positive outcomes.

Evolving Standards for Counseling Cultural Competencies: From MCC to MSJCC

The breakdown of what cultural competence in counseling entails has evolved over time. The was established in the early 1990s and expanded upon in subsequent decades to also focus on social justice, creating what is now the .

MCC framework

The MCC framework established can broken down into :

1. Awareness – The counselor’s awareness of how their own beliefs, attitudes, values, and worldviews impact how they engage with clients from other backgrounds
2. Knowledge – The counselor’s understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, values, and worldviews that are common to the underrepresented populations with which they work
3. Skills – The counselor’s skills that allow them to work effectively with diverse populations

With historical context, counselors can better understand the attitudes, behaviors, and values of certain groups of people, and they can help their clients address the impact of life experiences such as immigration, racism, oppression, stereotyping, and poverty.

MSJCC framework

The MSJCC conceptual framework builds on these ideologies but considers a greater range of diversity (intersection of identities) between both the client and the counselor. It also makes social justice a greater focal point in cultural competence, calling counselors to also consider how issues of power, privilege and oppression may affect the client.

The established by the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development is broken down into a more complex system of quadrants, domains, and competencies. It also adds a fourth competency level to the MCC model: action.

Action refers to the counselor moving beyond simple understanding of cultural diversity and taking more intentional steps to address issues of social inequity, adapt their counseling strategies accordingly, and even serve as advocates for social justice.

Quadrants

1. Quadrant I: Privileged Counselor–Marginalized Client
2. Quadrant II: Privileged Counselor–Privileged Client
3. Quadrant III: Marginalized Counselor–Privileged Client
4. Quadrant IV: Marginalized Counselor–Marginalized Client

Domains

1. Counselor self-awareness
2. Client worldview
3. Counseling relationship
4. Counseling and advocacy interventions

Competencies

1. Attitudes and believes
2. Knowledge
3. Skills
4. Action

You can view the .

Strategies for Applying Cultural Competence in Counseling Practice

To help ensure all clients feel fully seen and heard regardless of their backgrounds, practitioners can take actions such as the following to promote cultural competence within counseling:

Consider cultural values

It’s important to recognize the common values of a client’s cultural background. For example, it can be helpful to understand when a client’s culture heavily emphasizes the role of family in the individual’s decisions (a collective culture rather than an individualistic one and vice versa), as this could alter how the counselor helps your client analyze and approach a problem or need. In some cases, it may be helpful to use alternative strategies such as as part of the client’s counseling sessions.

Adjust communication style

Studies have shown that certain cultural groups may have when it comes to communication styles. While some cultures may value the use of familiar language and more personal connection with their counselors (such as a greater willingness for the counselor to share common experiences), others may prefer the counselor to maintain a more distant role as the “expert.” Meanwhile, some cultures may with a counselor while others may consider this off-putting.

Consider multidimensional identities and personalize treatment accordingly

Counselors should determine how belonging to one or more underrepresented group (i.e., an African-American, an African-American woman, or African-American woman who is part of the LGBTQ+ community) affects a client’s outlook and experiences, as well as social justice factors that may be at play such as challenges from racism, sexism, and/or gender discrimination. A culturally competent counselor will explore these challenges with the client and may choose to to better align with the client’s unique experiences and needs.

Understand that cultural competence is an ongoing journey

As the world changes and cultural and social dynamics continually evolve, it’s important for counselors to to learn about other cultures and experiences of diverse population groups. This can be done by taking courses, attending seminars, reading academic and non-academic literature, consulting with colleagues, and engaging with diverse communities to expand and deepen their understanding of other cultures.

Cultural Competence Training is Essential for Counseling Education

In a climate of ever-increasing diversity and heightened awareness around social justice, it is imperative for counselors to be equipped with the cultural competencies necessary to deliver quality and equitable mental health services — and it starts in counselor education.

As you search for a mental health counseling master’s program, make sure that the program includes education on cultural competence so you are prepared to meet the needs of diverse clientele.

��������’s Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program provides education and training that helps prepare students to become culturally competent, trauma-informed, and stalwart advocates for social justice.

One of our program learning outcomes is to “Cultivate a Culturally Competent Identity,” which means the program helps students establish a professional identity as culturally competent clinical mental health counselors.

Through this outcome, students learn how to use the therapeutic relationship to promote healing, empowerment, and emotional and mental well-being while working effectively and affirmatively with diverse individuals, couples, families, and communities.

Here is a quick snapshot of the program details:

• Program: Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Instruction Method: Online or Blended
• Program Pace: 29 Months
• Semesters: 6 Trimesters
• Credits: 60 Credits

Learn more about the mental health counseling master’s program at WCU, including information about curriculum, tuition and financial aid, and admission requirements.

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WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.