Critical Incidents Cross Cultural Eductaion

1. Critical Incidents Cross Cultural Eductaion John Yasenchak, ED.D .

3. Key Concepts

4. The Danger of a Single StoryTed Talks

5. A Definition of Culture A broad definition of cultural identity implies the sum total of ways of living developed by a group of people to meet needs (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual). Culture includes values, beliefs, norms, attitudes, folkways, and behaviors that are linked together as an integrated whole for the preservation of the community.

6. Culture Provides Context • Goal setting, decisions, problem solving • Explanation and definition of social roles • View about nature, human nature, truth, time orientation, space and property • Meaning of the individual and community • Definitions about health and illness

7. Culture defines reality for each of us, most of the time without our awareness We interpret each other’s behavior through culturally learned assumptions Behaviors have meaning only within a cultural context.

8. Other Concepts • Racial identity – a persons sense of self based on physical characteristics and genetic origins • Ethnic identity - a persons sense of identity based on a group’s social and cultural heritage • Worldview – assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes that individuals and groups hold about the world These terms act as mediating variables between cultural systems and behaviors.

9. Euro-American Values and Implicit Assumptions in Counseling • Fixed definition of “normal” • Importance of the individual • Primacy of linear thinking • Encapsulated profesional boundaries • Importance of abstract jargon • Pathology of dependence • Irrelevance of historical tradition • Absence of racism in ourselves • Pederson, 1994

10. The Culturally Encapsulated Counselor Revisited! • Our assumptions become more important than the experience of reality • Minimizes cultural differences assuming ours is “the real one” • Dependence upon techniques and quick solutions to complex problems • Does not attend to counselor’s own cultural biases Wren, C.G. 1985

11. New interest is due to: • Demographic shifts • Increased visibility of minority groups • Affirmative Action Programs • Bilingual education • Incentives • Heightened group consciousness

12. Cultural Competency “….a process that involves engaging in an honest exploration of one’s experience of racial and cultural reality. Such a process may not necessarily arrive at an end point; rather, it requires a daily choice to engage issues of race and culture externally and internally. Choosing to participate in this approach necessarily involves openness to personal growth and change.” (Collins & Pieterse, 2007)

13. Active Cultural Awareness “…active racial/cultural awareness (is) an ongoing choice to engage in a process of grappling honestly and openly with the racial/cultural realities of daily life experiences; intentionally bringing to consciousness thoughts and feelings that were previously denied, ignored, or unseen” (Collins & Pieterse, 2007)

14. How Do We Practice in a Multicultural Environment? • Focus on retention – counselor credibility (ascribed and achieved) and “gifting” as predictors of success • Focus on Cultural Knowledge • Focus on Cultural and Technique • Focus on Cultural Competencies and Cultural Identity

15. Multicultural Competencies The Association for Multiculturalism in Counseling and Development established guideless focused on: • Multicultural Knowledge • Multicultural Skills • Multicultural Awareness

16. Critical Incidents Empirical research in counselor education and supervision has often focused on cognitive changes and skill development. Change, however, also occurs on a personal and interpersonal level

17. “…..an observable human activity that is sufficiently complete in itself to permit inferences to be made about the person performing the act” (Flanagan, 1954)

18. Two Main Components ENCOUNTER REFLECTION

19. Definitions of Critical Incidents A positive or negative experience recognized by (counseling) students because of its meaningful impact A meaningful emotional or behavioral experience that impacts the supervisee. Focus is on the events that serve as a catalyst Occurs in a naturalistic setting May impact perceptions of effectiveness and self-efficacy

20. A reflective analysis of cross-cultural critical incidents in counselor education and training can help to create both a conceptual and “felt” framework that recognizes the diversity of our society while at the same time search for “bridges of shared concern”

21. Elements of CIABT Critical Incident Analysis Based Training(Collins & Pieterse, 2007) • Acknowledgement – involves risk; “something happened here” • Confrontation – agreement to look at the incident; disclosure of experience in safety • Reflection – movement toward understanding that results in exploration of alternative reactions and choice • Commitment – acknowledging the process, appreciation of the “learning moment”, and more freedom of choice.

22. Problems • Universal versus Particular variables • Restriction to only a few groups • Critical examination of racism, sexism, homophobia, economic oppression, etc. • Models for understanding client-therapist differences • Models for integrating clinically useful information for understanding distress

23. Models that focus on universal factors risk missing the unique variables associated with a particular culture. However, models focused solely on “diversity” runs the risk of ignoring the similar predicaments of racism, subordination, economic exploitation and injustice shared by various groups.

24. A “holding environment” for Dialogue About Critical Incidents • Inclusion of variables such as gender, economics, racism, homophobia, religion, spirituality, geographics, political identities • Examination and inclusion of culturally-based healing practices • Inclusion of so-called “whites” into the multicultural model.

25. MCT Propositions • Each Western or non-Western theory represents a particular world view • The complexity of the client-counselor relationship and the changing context must be a focus • The counselor’s cultural/racial background will influence how problems are defined, how histories are written, and how goals are established.

26. The ultimate goal of culture-centered approach is to expand available resources • Conventional roles of counseling are only some of the available ways of helping within a cultural context • MCT emphasizes expansion of personal, family, group, and organizational consciousness in context. Sue, D.W., Ivey, & Pedersen, (1996)

27. RELATIONAL CULTURAL THEORY

28. What is a Theory? A theory is defined as “ a principle or body of interrelated principles that purports to explain or predict a number of interrelated phenomena” The APA Dictionary of Psychology

29. Historical Waves • Psychodynamic ( eg., analysis, Adlerian, etc) • Learning (eg., behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, etc) • Humanistic ( person-centered, gestalt, existential, etc) • Feminist and Multicultural Theories • Postmodern and Constructivist Theories Jordan (2010)

30. Relational-Cultural Theory …”RCT therapy depends more an on attitude of mutual engagement than on specific techniques or interventions. RCT therapy offers clients radical respect and a deep appreciation of their suffering as well as the ways thy have learned to survive when important relationships have been hurtful. RCT therapy views isolation and chronic disconnection as the cause of much suffering that brings clients into treatment” (Jordan, 2010)

31. Connection A “connection” is a relationship between two or more people that is: Mutually empathic Mutually empowering

32. Assumptions • Mainstream Western theories describe development as moving from dependence toward independence • Many developmental models are hierarchical, moving from lower stages toward higher stages • The development of the “separate self” is emphasized

33. Core belief in a Separate Self • Autonomy, individuation, self-boundaries, separation, and increasing logical and abstract thought are markers of maturity • Self (as a construct) is seen as occupying a particular “space” and having a center with a protective wall (self-protection and self-coherence) • Self is encouraged to be mobile and not restrained by community • Self-sufficient, maturity is marked by an underlying competitive edge that is seen as a route to safety and identity

34. “….achieving the cultural goal of independence requires construction of oneself as an individual whose behavior is organized and made meaningful by reference to one’s own internal repertoire of thoughts, feelings and actions”. Markus and Kitayama (1991)

35. “Mental Disorder” “….a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress (e.g., painful symptoms) or disability (i.e., impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering, death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. In addition, this syndrome or pattern must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event, for example the death of a loved one. Whatever its original cause, it must currently be considered a manifestation of a behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual. Neither deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) not conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict is a symptom of a dysfunction in the individual….”

36. RCT Assumptions • Development occurs both through and toward connection, and is based on inevitable interdependence throughout the lifespan. • Isolation is the major source of suffering for people both individually and culturally • The sociopolitical forces of disconnection that create pain for people must be considered. • Development is a function of increasing levels of relational complexity and an increasing capacity for mutual empathy (rather than fixed hierarchical stages) • People are neurologically hardwired for connection (mirror neurons, neuroplasticity, etc) Jordan (2010)

37. Central Relational Paradox Even in the face of repeated disconnections, people will desire more connection But the fear of connection keeps aspects of self out of connection Individuals will adopt “strategies of survival” to adapt to expectations, losing “authenticity” in relationship.

38. Disconnection • Acute – the “other” is not there; or may be in a harmful way. One person misunderstands, humiliates, invalidates, excludes, or injures the other. Occur frequently but can be addressed • Chronic – less powerful person is prevented from representing the hurt and reacts; shame; feeling not-seen and disempowered, “twists” in order to fit in. If repeated, becomes a chronic pattern.

39. Condemned Isolation – feeling of isolation and “aloneness” that leaves one shut out of human community. (Jean Baker Miller) • Traumatic Disconnection – person cannot come back due to heightened sense of danger danger; may follow closeness

40. Condemned Isolation • Feelings of unworthiness, aloneness • Feeling that “I” am to blame for my unworthiness and powerlessness • There is something intrinsically wrong with me • I will not risk vulnerability even though I want to be close because I am terrified of getting hurt again • I may develop strategies of disconnection, keeping parts of myself safe.

41. “….when an injured person, particularly one who has less power, can represent her or his experience of disconnection or pain to the more powerful person and be responded to, with interest or concern, the less powerful person has a sense of “mattering, of having an effect on the other” (Jordan, 2010)

42. ….” Shame is a powerful way to silence and isolate individuals, but it also plays a large role in silencing and disempowering marginalized groups whose members are strategically, if oven invisibly, shamed in order to reinforce their isolation and this their subordination” Isolation is the glue that holds oppression in place” (laing, 1998 presentation in Jordan, 2010)

43. “When this dynamic creates isolation and disempowerment at the personal level, it also preserves the politics of dominance. In this way the personal is political, the political is personal, and the rewriting of a psychological paradigm becomes an act of social justice”. Jordau (2010).

44. Empathy Complex cognitive-affective skill that helps us “to know” another person’s experience Anticipartory Empathy Mutual Empathy Mutual Impact Mutual Empowerment

45. Relational Images • Develop early in life • Hold expectations of how relationships will go • Chronic disconnections lead to negative relational images • When flexible, images can be modified • When rigid and overgeneralized, they block us in relationship

46. Dominant Relational Images Discrepant Relational Images Controlling Relational Images

47. The Healing Process • Assessment of relationtional resilience • Assessment of capacity for constructive conflict (real limitations or limiting relational images) • Assessment of stratagies of disconnection • Assessment….”focuses on relational dynamics and patterns of chronic disconnections, taking into account the way the larger social context shapes a person’s development” Jordan (2010_

48. Healing Relationships • Development of relational confidence • “…involves seeing that one has the capacity to move another person, effect a change in a relationship, or affect the well-being of all participants in the relationship”

49. Empathic understanding of the central relational paradox • Complexity replaces “all or nothing functioning” • “Pathological certainty” shifts • With a decrease in shame, there is more vital energy for vital and life-ful relationships and constructive community

50. “RCT does not simply aim to help people “adjust” to disempowering social circumstances...such approach would support the notion that the problem is “in the individual”…Rather, by naming destructive social practices, empathizing with the impossibility of making changes alone, reinforcing the importance of finding allies and examining ways to resist shaming practices at both a collective and personal level, RCT supports skills that both create personal well-being and social justice” Jordan (2010), p41