Applying Cultural Humility in the Helping Professions

Applying Cultural Humility in the Helping Professions

Central to quality care delivery in a diverse care landscape is recognizing and acknowledging the sociocultural differences present in the modern care landscape. Cultural humility provides the basis for self-awareness and a respectful willingness for caregivers to acknowledge interpersonal interactions. Lekas et al. (2020) define cultural humility as an approach to sociocultural differences that emphasizes intersectionality and individual understanding of implicit biases. Embracing cultural humility will require one to self-reflect and have a curious conversation centered on self rather than on other persons with the intent of discovering the existence of their shortcomings in perceptions. This paper analyzes the ethical concerns that may exist when applying cultural humility in the helping profession, as well as personal values and cultural tunnel vision.

Ethical Concerns

As the pursuit for inclusive, diverse, and optimal care heightens, helping professions are implored to apply cultural humility in bettering care delivery. However, several ethical concerns may be apparent when imposing helpers’ values. Respect for the client’s autonomy, respect for the client’s dignity and promotion of well-being, and respect for the diversity of research participants, trainees, and clients are some of the ethical provisions that are pivotal in the helping professions outlined in the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics. These codes may sometimes present specific ethical concerns to counselors. These provisions guide counselors’ practice and help in their decision-making.

While providing care is integral to community wellness and clients’ well-being, the ethical provisions that guide counselors’ practice define how counselors operate. Imposing their values on other persons is a breach of the provisions outlined and may affect their interpersonal engagements (McWhorter, 2019). The ACA code of ethics details that counselors have to maintain the responsibility of respecting their client’s dignity, promoting their well-being, respecting their autonomy, and respecting client diversity (Burns, 2020). This means that they are not allowed to impose their values on their clients and that doing so will constitute an ethical breach.

Know Your Values

Helper’s values are critical in counseling. Through the third chapter, I have learned the significance of avoiding imposing my values on my clients and how to deal with value conflicts (Corey, 2020a). Areas that present for growth per the feedback I received are my recognition of differences in religious and spiritual values and my awareness of gender role identity issues. I developed specific biases toward individuals whose values were not aligned with mine. Unconscious bias is common during transcultural care and may result in sub-optimal care as it may hinder effective communication between the client and the counselor (Marcelin et al., 2019). By committing to a culture of inclusion, learning about different cultures, and deliberate reflection on self, I was able to maintain objectivity in my care processes.

Cultural Tunnel Vision

Cultural tunnel vision details the narrow perception of culture by individuals based on their limited experiences. The differences in sociocultural characteristics translate to differences in behavioral manifestations across individuals within a society (Corey, 2020b). In the case presented, cultural tunnel vision is apparent in Akito’s approach in the family therapy session involving the Latino family. Having experienced a fragmented family, where they used to talk to each other indirectly, Akito demonstrates a cultural tunnel vision towards the Latino family. He tries to impose his perceptions of social interactions on them by asking the mother to talk directly to her son about respect and obedience. This case and the chapter have given me insight into differences in worldviews across cultures. As a normative character, I tend to align myself with traditional categorical assumptions. This may, however, negatively impact my engagement with people with different identities, as I may develop some biases toward them.

Applying cultural humility remains critical in the helping profession. However, ethical concerns such as respect for clients’ autonomy may present some ethical challenges. Having a larger appreciation of values that guide an individual’s decision-making processes will help them in their counseling processes as well as widen their perception of the sociocultural differences apparent in modern society. The culture tunnel case is a replica of how narrow perception affects the counseling process.

References

Burns, S. (2020). Impact of ethical information resources on counselor education students. Cogent Education, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2020.1757182.

Corey, M. S. (2020a). Chapter 3: Knowing Your Values. In Becoming a Helper (8th ed., pp. 69–97). Essay, Cengage.

Corey, M. S. (2020b). Chapter 4: Understanding Diversity. In Becoming a Helper (8th ed., pp. 100–127). Essay, Cengage.

Lekas, H.-M., Pahl, K., & Fuller Lewis, C. (2020). Rethinking cultural competence: Shifting to cultural humility. Health Services Insights, 13, 117863292097058. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178632920970580.

Marcelin, J. R., Siraj, D. S., Victor, R., Kotadia, S., & Maldonado, Y. A. (2019). The impact of unconscious bias in healthcare: How to recognize and mitigate it. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 220(Supplement_2). https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz214.

McWhorter, M. R. (2019). Balancing value bracketing with the integration of moral values in psychotherapy: Evaluation of clinical practice from the perspective of Catholic moral theology. The Linacre Quarterly, 86(2-3), 207–224. https://doi.org/10.1177/0024363919856810.

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Culturally competent helping professionals are encouraged to go beyond committing to increasing culturally specific knowledge and skills. While developing relevant skills and knowledge is essential to competent practice and can help mitigate biases, at times, unconscious biases can be tenacious and resistant to increases in cognitive knowledge. Cultural humility includes adopting attitudes and behaviors that can help to mitigate the impact of unconscious biases that can impede the helper’s ability to be effective with diverse clients. For this assignment, you will write a two- to three-page paper in which you apply knowledge gained from your readings and the completion of the assigned MindTap learning activities.

Applying Cultural Humility in the Helping Professions

To successfully complete this assignment, organize your paper in the following manner: use each of the section headings provided below in the parentheses in boldface.

Section 1 (Introduction)

Compose a one-paragraph introduction to your paper relevant to the main topic of cultural humility in counseling or a related helping profession. Be sure to review the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s resource Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site..
Section 2 (Ethical Concerns)

Based on the assigned readings, include a one-paragraph summary of ethical concerns associated with imposing helper values. Do an online search to identify the ethics code for a profession you are considering in the helping profession (e.g., American Counseling Association Code of Ethics, American Psychological Association Code of Ethics, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Code of Ethics, Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics). If you are not considering a career in a helping profession, select any one of the ethics codes listed above. In your second paragraph, connect the ethical concerns you summarized in the first paragraph to specific content in the ethics code you selected. Include APA-formatted in-text citations and references from the assignment readings and the professional ethics code you selected.
Section 3 (Know Your Values)

Summarize what you learned from Chapter 3, Video Activity: Know Your Values, and Chapter 3, Helper Studio: Know Your Values. Include the specific feedback you received on the video you uploaded into the Helper Studio. Based on the feedback received by participating in these activities, identify at least two specific professional or personal growth opportunities for you to improve your ability to work effectively with diverse clients. In this section of your paper, it is appropriate to use 1st person voice. See the First vs. Third Person links to an external site. Resource for additional guidance.
While you are not required to include your answers to the following questions in your paper, answering the questions in a personal journal may assist you in identifying relevant professional or personal growth opportunities. In which value areas might you have difficulty maintaining objectivity? What conscious or unconscious biases might be associated with the values you hold? As you worked through the activities, were there times in which you were aware of experiencing thoughts or feelings that were not positive or affirming of the client? Connect your conclusions to the assigned reading and support your points with relevant information from the textbook and other scholarly sources, including APA-formatted in-text citations and references.
Section 4 (Cultural Tunnel Vision)

Summarize what you learned from Chapter 4 Case Study: Cultural Tunnel Vision and the Personal Social Background Interaction Profile. Based on any feedback received by participating in these activities and information discussed in your textbook and other assigned readings, include any insights you gained about your personal worldview and how your perspectives and preferences might impact clients or other individuals you work with in a helper role. Based on the descriptions in the article, Loosening Categorical Thinking: Extending the Terrain of Theory and Research on Demographic Identities in Organization Download Loosening Categorical Thinking: Extending the Terrain of Theory and Research on Demographic Identities in Organizations, consider whether your identity is more consistent with a “normative” or one of the “nonnormative” categories. Discuss how your identity might impact your interactions with clients who identify differently. Connect your conclusions to the assigned reading and support your points with relevant information from the textbook and other scholarly sources, including APA-formatted in-text citations and references. In this section of your paper, it is appropriate to use 1st person voice. See the First vs. Third Person links to an external site. Resource for additional guidance.
Section 5 (Conclusions)

Compose a one-paragraph conclusion as described in the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s resource Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. In your conclusion, summarize key points connecting concepts related to cultural humility with the topics of personal values and conscious and unconscious bias. Identify at least two strategies to which you can commit to recognize and mitigate the impact of unconscious bias in your interactions with others. In this section of your paper, it is appropriate to use 1st person voice. See the First vs. Third Person links to an external site. Resource for additional guidance.
The Applying Cultural Humility in the Helping Professions paper

Must be two to three double-spaced pages (500 to 750 words) in length, plus a title page and at least an additional page for references (total of four to five pages). Your assignment must be formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word Links to an external site. resource. Consider using the University of Arizona Global Campus Writing Center’s GrammarlyLinks to an external site. Resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must include the subheadings provided in the instructions (Introduction, Ethical Concerns, Know Your Values, Cultural Tunnel Vision, Conclusions).
Except where explicitly stated that 1st person voice may be used, must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice links to an external site. Resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper. For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. Refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use the two assigned chapters in the course text required for Week 2, the assigned articles listed in the instructions, and a website or scholarly source containing the ethics code of a profession as stated in the “Ethical Concerns” requirement. Additional scholarly sources may be included. The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. The table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper Links to an external site. guide.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. Resource in the Writing Center for specifications.