Cultural Differences in Counselling

In the article entitled Culture-Specific Strategies in Counselling: A Conceptual Framework 1990 Derald Wing Sue addresses the need to enhance non-verbal communication. The author presents her vivid thoughts on how verbal and non-verbal communication is paramount for effective counselling. It is worth to note that, effective counselling obliges counsellor professionals to utilize verbal and non-verbal content during counselling process. This paper seeks to discuss non-verbal communication and describe the implications for counselling in multicultural settings.

This article creates great insights on how non-verbal communication reveals our feelings and attitudes. A strong awareness of non-verbal communication improves the ability for a counsellor to communicate and interact with the client. The author argues that, non-verbal communication is a behaviour or message, which is not written or spoken communication. In other words, non-verbal communication includes gestures, body movements, and facial expressions. In counselling process, non-verbal communication is more effective than verbal communication since it helps a counsellor to comprehend the client’s thoughts and feelings.

Nonverbal communication modifies or reinforces what is expressed in spoken words. For instance, a client may nod his head vigorously to emphasize that he agrees to the point presented. However, shrugging the shoulder may reveal a sad expression or that one is not fine or comfortable. With this in mind, non-verbal communication is crucial in counselling process since it reinforces and defines the relationship between the counsellor and a client. It enhances and regulates a strong flow of communication between the two parties. In most cases, this method is effective as it conveys information about the client’s emotional state. As mentioned by Sue, a client may imply that he is not fine at all through non-verbal communication.

In response to the subject Culture difference in counselling, this article highlights that black culture along with other minority groups are often characterized as being unintelligent, inarticulate, and nonverbal. With this in mind, the author beseeches counsellors to understand the use of non-verbal communication in counselling black culture since it boosts counselling process. The power and importance of non-verbal communication cannot be underestimated. As the author puts it, non-verbal communication is primary in enhancing a strong interaction and communication between a counsellor and client.

The author continues to argue that the accuracy and effectiveness of nonverbal depend on the body part used. For instance, facial expression tends to be more controllable than hands, legs, and other parts of the body. Following this, it is the responsibility of the counsellor to understand the best body part that reveals a specific feeling. For instance, when a client is agreeing on the issue or subject discussed he or she is more likely to nod the head than a shoulder. Understanding the language of non-verbal communication is paramount as it helps counsellors to equip themselves with the best nonverbal style to communicate and interact with the client. For clarifications, the article presents great thoughts on the implication for counselling in a multicultural setting as discussed in the following section.

Sue (1999) argues that, blacks are more likely to rely on non-verbal communication than on verbal one. Often, blacks and other minorities are tuned to non-verbal communication since they are not adequately stable in their mind because of racism and discrimination they face from white society. This explains why the minority client is quick and sensitive to pick the biases and weaknesses of a counsellor who may not have adequately dealt with racism. In this case, this article highlights that the minority group may feel that the weakness or bias is too great to continue seeking for help, support or counselling. This may occur despite the white counsellor lack of awareness about human behaviour of the minorities. Following this, an effective multicultural counsellor may oblige an individual to be adequately equipped with knowledge about the varied ethnic and racial groups and how to respond to their counselling needs. When this is done, it enhances an effective counselling process and eliminates the stereotypes and biases that minority groups may possess.

Often, the most communication styles used for black groups and other minority groups are confrontation, animated, and interpersonal. This implies that, much feelings and emotions are generated when counselling the black and other minority groups. Indeed, the article is well-written and documented with facts and information about black and white society. To elaborate on the two cultures, the author creates a platform for readers to understand how the two groups behave and respond to counselling. For instance, blacks are more analytical and sensitive to the ideas, facts, and information presented during the counselling process. However, white middle class are impersonal, objective, and non-challenging to counselling process. In most cases, blacks admit and believe that they operate on their perspective and they are disinclined to assume that whites do not do so.

To sum up, this article outline that non-verbal communication is a crucial aspect and concept to consider for effective counselling process. Overall, the article outline that non-verbal communication may affect the counsellor’s perceptive and the capability to work with different clients from diverse cultures.

Reference

Sue, D.W. (1990). Culture-Specific Strategies in Counselling: A Conceptual Framework. The Journal of Professional Psychology, 21 (6), 424-433.