IndexHow difference and diversity might impact the counseling relationshipHow my personal differences and sense of diversity might impact the counseling relationshipHow explicit power dynamics might manifest themselves and implicit between the therapist and the client in the relationshipThe steps I need to increase self-awareness about how to manage power imbalancesHow taking the position of an expert within the counseling relationship could undermine and possibly harm the clientIn this essay on diversity I will explain my understanding of difference and diversity as we are living in a multicultural society and every individual should attempt to explore, understand and accept differences in all dimensions of diversity. Furthermore, I believe that awareness brings empowerment! Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Racism is defined by Myers as “the act of exaggeration of differences that portrays minorities as having weaker physical and mental abilities than the vast majority of individuals” . On the other hand, according to the APA (American Psychological Association), gender is a term used to describe "the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person's biological sex." Over the generations, travel has opened the door to our vast world, some travelers settle far from where they were born and often create their own community, and some travelers are just passing through. They bring with them a wealth of experiences as each sees the world differently. This can bring together the most wonderful knowledge from many perspectives throughout society. Cultural diversity brings enrichment through shared experiences and we further develop tolerance and understanding between each of our cultures. Within our cultures there are many differences. Our beliefs, language, and how we see and accept each other all differ within our societies. Differences are also found within our own culture. Our family dynamics will differ within families and our behavior will differ from individual to individual. Some individuals may not identify with their gender, or their choice of clothing, language, and accents across regions may differ from ours or what we consider conventional, and therefore we may view them as different. Difference must be celebrated and embraced. I recently had the privilege of working with a family of Indian origin, about whom I had little knowledge. They helped me understand some of the differences they experienced in their culture as it relates to mental health. The wife was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia and was desperate for support. The extended family ignored this, as it brought "shame and embarrassment" to their family within the community. This further impacted their engagement with clinical services and consequently led me to respectfully consider their values ​​and how I could offer the necessary support during the crisis. How Difference and Diversity Could Affect the Counseling Relationship Difference and diversity present us with challenges and can create barriers within a therapeutic relationship. We all have unconscious biases and that means, sometimes, we make assumptions about our customers based on their language, culture, background or their appearance. These assumptions may arise from our experiences or valuesintrojected and can influence the way in which the therapeutic relationship develops. A client may find that a counselor from a different background can understand the complexities faced in different cultures. The client may appreciate speaking openly with someone completely disconnected from their community and feel that their concerns and concerns are validated. A client may also find that speaking to a counselor who is nonjudgmental and presents with unconditional positive regard is an experience they have not yet experienced, for the reason that, within their family community, it is not expected that question, but accept what is offered to them. Additionally, some clients may find that talking to someone of a different gender, age, or culture helps gain a different perspective and can often shed light on the feelings they are experiencing. On the other hand, a client may not connect with the counselor because of race and ethnicity and not feel completely understood. This presents a different challenge and one of which may involve a change of advisor to satisfy the client. My biases can influence how I develop a relationship with a client, and I am aware of the idea of ​​transference. This makes it even more important to continuously visit prejudices, questions or thoughts. Living in a complex, multicultural society means we can educate and empower those we encounter, and it is our responsibility to challenge unfair treatment. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to acknowledge our biases and consider our perception of who we truly are versus the person we would like to be. We cannot allow our beliefs to have a negative impact on the therapeutic relationship. Although different elements of diversity can strongly influence the way we see ourselves and the world, as therapists we must never take for granted how a client identifies: it is always important to work with empathy and enter into the client's frame of reference" that is, fully consider the client's unique way of thinking and behaving (and therefore feeling). I have identified limited knowledge about gender identification and have no awareness of the correct language to use. Language changes all the time, words that are common now may no longer be so in many years to come and I am aware that I may not always take this into consideration, until the time comes when I need them. In my work role I started working with a young adult. The name was Sammy and when I made the first call I heard a female voice. I assumed Sammy was a woman and apologized for my confusion. Sammy explained to me that he started life as a female and now identifies as male. I respect Sammy's choice and use the pronoun he prefers. How My Personal Differences and Sense of Diversity Might Affect the Consulting Relationship My thought is that diversity has many dimensions and it is difficult to give each person the credit they deserve with this essay. I believe that gender and race are continually changing and I believe these, along with religious beliefs and family dynamics, will have the greatest impact on my counseling practice. Awareness within these diverse yet diverse areas is growing and changing and I welcome the changes. It seems right to take on a high pace, however, when I look back through history to where we are now, I recognize that this is a long, slow process and that we, as a society, have a long way to go before changes make a difference . .I live in a predominantly white demographic. My daily life means I rarely encounter different cultures, and there are many of themdifferences that lie in between. We don't see many people of color and I find it frustrating. Village life does not seem to encourage people of color. Maybe because they would feel unwelcome because of the color of their skin? My personal experiences with a strict religious upbringing left me with a sense of distrust. I have a distrust of some religious communities with strong opinions that do not welcome diversity. I had distrust of the leaders of these churches. I had the feeling that many Pentecostal churches had a strict homophobic view and did not allow any room for change. This religious community instilled in me the fear of men. I have often been outraged to hear my family speak out against same-sex marriage and, more recently, in such derogatory terms against the LGBT community and abortion rights. This is Northern Ireland, a country where religion has controlled people's thinking for many years. I'll be very clear and say that I have worked through my personal issues in therapy and no longer have such strong opinions about the community I used to live in that I felt had failed me. I have accepted and can handle the trauma induced by the events. I take the time to explore my ongoing process of self-reflection and awareness, this combined, strengthens my values. So, I wonder how I would feel, as a counselor, if a male client, talked about belonging to one of the Pentecostal churches that I began to question and didn't have the same beliefs. First, I will not be blinded by the client's religion. The client is more than his religion and has come to believe that he can completely trust me as his advisor. I will be present with unconditional positive regard and will be within the client's frame of reference. This will be your time in the counseling room. If I feel any uncomfortable feelings of transference, I will bring this to my supervisor and seek support and guidance on how to manage it. How explicit and implicit power dynamics develop between the therapist and client Could manifest itself in the relationship “Implicit” is suggested, although not expressed directly. 'Explicit' is expressed clearly and in detail. Dr. John Norcross, professor of psychology, author of Psychotherapy Relationships That Work, was instrumental in research conducted over the course of 8 years, to discover what made the therapeutic relationship work and what happens to make it fail. Dr. John Norcross on YouTube in Psychlive, said that we cannot expose a client to any type of deep therapy until a great therapeutic relationship is established. When we examine explicit communication, we may find that a client has little motivation to make a change. We may hear them say “I can't change” or “I can't do this.” Our response, staying with the client in their frame of reference and demonstrating good empathy, will be "I understand how difficult this may be for you." The client will feel empowered knowing they are supported and not judged. Working around implicit forms of communication may require the use of immediacy within the relationship. For example, that gut feeling we get as counselors, as we are fully in the client's frame of reference and “notice” that the client is using defensive language. An 'implicit' form of communication. The use of directness in this situation could be "I notice that you seem defensive when you talk to me." I wonder what's going on between us? This also empowers the customer. The therapist remains in the client's frame of reference and offers some reflection for the client. A therapist will use non-language and actions..