Customer Reviews

Counseling the Culturally Different: Theory and Practice

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

An amazing textbook that you can read with interest from cover to cover, Counseling the Culturally Different (and it's updated version, Counseling the Culturally Diverse) will provide a basis for understanding how to reach out and provide effective therapy to those outside the European-American milieu. I've often complained to my brother Kent, a therapist, that so much of modern therapy is focused on European-American culture, and I find it difficult to relate to or come to understanding in my own therapy, as I come from a kinship society. Then I came upon this class, Counseling in Cross-Cultural Situations, in order to prepare for future counseling possibilities in Morocco, and read this book.

Too often therapy, for all it's benefits, is focused on one specific culture, and especially on the American psyche. Sue & Sue look at how one deals with other cultures, with many great short case studies that help the imagination as one contemplates therapeutic possibilities. Some of what they look at are shame vs. guilt cultures- how do you work with someone from a shame culture to instill in them a healthy sense of shame? Such an approach would of course be detrimental to someone from a guilt culture, like the U.S.- but it's equally detrimental to *not* pursue shame when working with a shame culture. Or how do you deal with someone coming from a culture where the group is more important than the individual? Modern psychotherapy which focuses on making one more of an individual needs to be substantially remodeled for this group, for making someone from a kinship society an individual only harms them. Not only does this book help me to better understand my own therapy process; it has given me invaluable tools for future counseling possibilities when working with those in the 2/3rds world.

Sue & Sue look at different specific populations as well- African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native-Americans, the elderly, and the handicapped. They provide invaluable processi by which every group can come to learn to appreciate the wider society that they're in, and how they can learn to adapt to the wider culture while fully appreciating their own. The one flaw I'd find in this edition- Sue & Sue's take on European-American psychological progression is only looking at coming to a place of understanding other cultures; there is no part there for learning to appreciate one's own (European-American) heritage, as there is for the other ethnic groups.

I'd highly recommend Augsburger's Pastoral Counseling Across Cultures as well- though a very thick and detailed book, it adds much more meat to the backbone of Sue & Sue. And B.J. Prashantham's Indian Case Studies in Therapeutic Counseling gives very basic ideas for those who don't have much background in therapy. B.J. uses his own experiences as an Indian therapist, relating to those within his culture or other cultures in India, providing a very emic perspective on these questions.

this book, as others have pointed out, is biased and tends to "beat up" on caucasians at times. it still has some useful clinical information and practice considerations, however. ponterotto et al's *handbook of multicultural counseling* is another, probably more comprehensive and practical, resource for working with diverse patients in my experience. nonetheless, sue and sue have written a good, well-organized text. the most useful parts are the guidelines for approaching the patient in the first interview (broken down into various cultures with individual considerations).

The authors definately have their bias. But there's some important information here about cultural differences. They have definately done their homework and are considered the top authorities in their field. They've done their homework...but you need to read beyond the fact that they've got some strong bias. If you can keep from being offended by some of their insinuations, there's some very good information here. As one of my professors said about this book, you need to 'eat the meat and throw away the bones.' And it was excellent advice.

This text is written from a very biased cultural perspective. The authors have obviously had an overwhelming exposure to the American left-wing academic culture. The authors do not seek to understand the realities of cross cutltural misunderstandings. Instead they are on a witch hunt for a culprit to blame in already confused situations. This hidden agenda overwhelms the issues that are presented. The authors fail to address cross cultural issues within the concepts of basic counseling principles. The text replaces other forms of ignorance with another. I would recommend avoiding it.

I understand why some people find this book challenging. It is a clearly different way to think about the counseling and therapy field. Nonetheless....

1. Derald Wing Sue is the most cited multicultural authority in the world.

2. The book reads easily and students like it. I have used it as a text many times.

3. At times, the book is demanding. It attacks our stereotypes. The easy way to deal with this book is to say that it stereotypes itself. Read the book again. It is open and offers multiple ways to think. You and your students will face a challenge, but this is one of those important books that are making an impression in the world.

In short, this is a classic! Buy it!

This was required reading for a class I was taking in multicultural issues. It was very interesting but it was hard to read parts of it because of the nature of confronting our biases that the book addresses. I did have some issues with the way the book approached discussing the role of white people in society. It was almost as if the authors wanted me to feel bad about being white. Overall it was very informative and gave really good examples and implications for clinical use.

The book arrived much sooner than estimated and was in excellent condition. I am very pleased with this seller and will do more business in the future.

There is so much relevant and valued information in this book pertaining to different cultures and ethnicities. Very well written, easy to read, informative and a must have for anyone working in the helping profession. This book brings to light many issues, contexts and ideas that are not directly addressed or dealt with in the classroom. If you are working with diverse populations, or need to take a license exam for Social Work, this book is a MUST have!!! Very helpful, and informative.

This book is an outstanding text. It is often challenging for my Euro-American graduate students to read, yet it stimulates intense debate. I balance the presentation with speakers, other books, and group processing. This book is cogent, concise, and has a marvellously succinct history of the politics and development of the concepts of multicultural and diversity counseling. You may not prefer it, but you MUST read it to be current in this field

I understand why some people find this book challenging. It is a clearly different way to think about the counseling and therapy field. Nonetheless....

1. Derald Wing Sue is the most cited multicultural authority in the world.

2. The book reads easily and students like it. I have used it as a text many times.

3. At times, the book is demanding. It attacks our stereotypes. The easy way to deal with this book is to say that it stereotypes itself. Read the book again. It is open and offers multiple ways to think. You and your students will face a challenge, but this is one of those important books that are making an impression in the world.

In short, this is a classic! Buy it!