Introduction
Counselors and psychotherapists may encounter people from different cultures in their work, which is why they need to understand the social construction of difference. This aspect refers to how society influences different factors and, through them, creates and perpetuates in history the differences between people and groups based on different characteristics. These parameters may include gender, character, race, sexuality, social class, and ethnicity.
Society’s response to various distinctive personal human behavioral parameters should not affect the counseling of professionals. Preparing students for counseling should include learning that they will need to take into account the many factors of differences in cultures and traditions of people’s behavior. This should ensure the greatest possible involvement in the preparation process and a better-quality result for the practice in the future. In this regard, it is necessary to analyze in detail what the social construction of differences includes, what aspects therapists should pay attention to, and how to provide maximum support.
Understanding the Social Construction of Difference in Counseling
The social construction of difference is the main area in which counseling and psychotherapy professionals must work. This is an effective way to improve understanding of how cultural differences affect the perception of the world (Collins, 2019). Illumination and awareness of the societal problem are important parts of eliminating imbalance, discrimination, and oppression in counseling services (Hanna et al., 2020).
The social construction of differences as its basis has a system that people are not born with clearly defined differences between the same. These different qualities are attributed to them by society in socialization and maturation (Ponizovskiy et al., 2019). This concept has been subject to extensive discussion for a long time about which characteristics could be attributed to a person in society and which are innate (Diekman et al., 2020). According to social constructionists, people are shaped by their social circle, affecting their experience, moral standards, and beliefs.
Professionals in counseling and psychotherapy must understand that people of different cultures and social backgrounds can experience mental health problems as their emotional state is influenced by social identity. Social construction is important in understanding how its aspects can shape the human psyche (Mijs, 2021).
People who define themselves as LGBTQ+ may be more likely to experience psychological stress because they feel wrong compared to the standards set by society. Depression or anxiety can become frequent manifestations due to social dogma and the marginalization of certain sections of society (Grzanka et al., 2019). In addition, the social construction of difference is a valuable tool in understanding how power, due to its imbalance, can have a depressing effect and influence the results of psychological development.
The Importance of Cultural Competence
When working with multicultural people, specialists need to assess the evidence base for the social construction of differences. Counselors and psychotherapists should try to develop cultural competence as much as possible in order to be able to work competently with different cultural groups. Key themes and differences are aspects that can help therapists better analyze any experiences their clients have had. Examples of the social construction of difference include gender, race, sexual orientation, disability, class, and language.
The importance of developing cultural competence among counseling and psychiatry professionals is significant and is one of the key themes in the literature (Vaismoradi et al., 2022). The awareness of people’s differences and their potential experiences because of this is a factor that determines the professionalism of a specialist and can allow him to consider the situation more. Cultural competence refers to abilities that can allow one to respect and understand different people’s cultural values and developmental characteristics.
The significance of addressing power imbalances and discrimination against certain groups of people is a common theme understood in the literature. The therapeutic relationship between specialist and client can be affected by systemic injustices that manifest bias and inequality. Thus, therapists must work with people in a skilled manner to provide them with all the necessary defense mechanisms against the effects of fart factors and stigmatization.
A safe, supportive space is key to improving the mental health of clients who feel uncomfortable. In this regard, the discussion of experience plays a key role, as it can help people become aware of the problematic situations that have happened to them in the past. Developing strategies to combat the harmful effects of such designs can go a long way in helping people feel more comfortable and safer in the future.
Recognition of the diversity and differences of cultural and racial groups can positively influence the other systems of treatment of different people. Clients from Indigenous groups can often have unique characteristics that reflect their cultural background and distinctive history as a people. An example of such differences is the attitude toward punctuality and time among Native Americans (Tascon & Gatwiri, 2020). For many of them, time is seen as a fluid, non-fixed concept, and punctuality may not be as crucial as other values. Due to such differences, people in this group may experience misunderstandings and conflicts with other groups.
Another example of the difference that can be seen about indigenous peoples in comparison with other peoples is their attitude toward diseases. In some communities, disorders may be seen as disturbances in spiritual order and balance rather than as physical ailments. As a result, the healing process may include a greater focus on spiritual practices and rituals rather than just medical interventions.
For Chinese customers, some important differences can also be seen. One example of social construction in Chinese communities is the notion of status, which is mapped through the notion of “saving face” (Grusky, 2019a). In Chinese culture, preserving face, honor, and maintaining social status is highly valued. Another example is the Chinese view of education and achievement.
In many Chinese cultures, academic achievement is highly valued. There are also several socially constructed differences among Middle Eastern clients. One of these is the importance of hospitality in their culture of social relations. The high value of generosity and socialization greatly outweighs individualism in Middle Eastern cultures (Stanek, 2020). Another expressive feature is their view of gender and family roles, which are extremely conservative. The family hierarchy is a deeply rooted traditional element that has been rooted for many years.
In the communities of Middle Eastern people who identify themselves as LGBTQ+, there may also be features of cultural differences. In many Middle Eastern communities, relationships that go beyond the traditional are considered unacceptable and controversial (Allcott et al., 2020). In addition, such relationships can be seen as a threat to cultural values, which will cause such people to be perceived negatively. This can lead to discrimination and isolation, which in turn causes traumatic experiences.
Navigating Personal Biases as a Counselor
To provide consulting services in the field of providing people with psychological assistance to representatives of different social groups and knowing your personal biases and prejudice towards specific groups of people due to their cultural characteristics. This can have negative effects on the course of the intervention and different results at the end of the sessions (Shalaby & Agyapong, 2020).
In order to avoid certain misunderstandings and misinterpretations of cultural interactions with different representatives of cultures and communities, it is necessary not only to be fully aware of their features but also to fight against a special attitude towards them. In this case, as a specialist, I can provide people with better services, abstracting from what may disturb me. It will also help establish a genuine, sincere relationship with clients during the conversation, which is necessary to find out what problems certain categories of clients from different populations have.
It is important to understand that my experience as a practicing counselor can be universal. Therefore, it is necessary to be open to understanding the peculiarities of the experience of raising and growing people. Learning from clients can be a valuable tool to better identify the causes of a person’s anxiety or mental system load based on what aspects of life were problematic in their cultural environment (Shahmalak et al., 2019).
For example, when working with clients whose life experiences are close to my own, I can experience a sense of empathy. These aspects may be a common cultural background or race. In this case, I will be able to better understand what problems are most critical for the client to help them resolve and experience. However, it is essential to remember that having a common cultural experience does not make me an expert in knowing all the intricacies and unique personal experiences of clients’ lives.
In this regard, during the consultation, it is important to listen to various personal stories that can reflect the person’s experiences. In this way, it will be possible to achieve a better effect of helping to recognize important elements of the lived experience. At the same time, I may have certain difficulties in understanding the experience of a person with whom I do not have a common cultural background (Maté & Maté, 2022).
Differing sexual orientations, races, or backgrounds can be a potential barrier to a deeper understanding of the causes of difficult emotions experienced by someone. Understanding the limitations of a specialist is essential in order to be able to work more competently with people from different cultural groups (Grusky, 2019b). It is also a good way to seek advice to improve my fight against prejudice and prejudice towards certain social groups. Thus, the transfer of experience from clients in the future will have a greater effect on me through preparation.
As a learning counselor, it is of great importance to me to be ethically responsive to differences in cultural background, which provides opportunities for further practice. To do this, it is important to constantly improve my skills and knowledge in the field of counseling to be able to better respond to some special moments that may be useful in my future practice. Self-analysis and the recognition and elimination of my mistakes are important parts of the work that can improve my ability to help people (Shaw et al., 2020).
By creating an inclusive and safe environment, I can achieve a greater impact from the intervention and increase my competence as a specialist. Ethically, as a consultant trainee, I can respond to diversity in a way that enhances my self-awareness. It can be an effective method of assessing one’s own cultural and traditional beliefs and also helps to learn about personal biases and opinions about any group. In addition, increasing empathy will also be an effective way, which will allow me to better understand the feelings of people from other cultures. Another important aspect from an ethical point of view is the positive impact on clients, which should be provided in response to their experience and the sharing of personal experience.
Conclusion
The social construction of difference is an important aspect to consider in counseling and mental health care for people. Social differences are a phenomenon that has been constructed by society; while being born, people do not have such attributes that significantly distinguish them from each other. Accordingly, this state of affairs has created many difficulties for people since it has become difficult for them to perceive different traditions and cultures, which makes communication and understanding much more difficult.
Thus, many groups have been marginalized or stigmatized because of their distinctive experiences. In this regard, people may still need psychological intervention as they develop various mental problems. Aspects fundamentally different in different social groups can strongly impact how clients see social interactions and communication.
Understanding the various aspects that society may have shaped around people of different races and cultures can help develop more appropriate systemic approaches to alleviate difficult client situations. Thus, counseling can become an important aspect in countering the prejudices of clients and the therapist. This is an important aspect of full immersion in people’s problems.
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