Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: culturally competent mental health professional, ethnocentric monoculturalism, beliefs toward the self, African American, United States, Asian Americans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"We have come a long way from 1972 when AMCD was initially chartered as the Association of Non-White Concerns in Personnel and Guidance. Derald Wing Sue and David Sue's new book, COUNSELING THE CULTURALLY DIVERSE, opens with a giant bull's-eye that very elegantly depicts the current conceptualization of multiculturals and diversity. This conceptualization is complex, with a focus on addressing multiple components and layers such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religious preference, culture, disability/ability, ethnicity, geographic location, age and even marital status." —Counseling Today (ACA publication), David Kaplan, President of ACA

Product Description

The bestselling resource and most cited reference in multicultural counseling and therapy

Thoroughly revised, Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice, Fourth Edition is "the classic" in the field of multicultural counseling and therapy. This latest edition offers a contemporary expansion of the definition of multicultural counseling that pushes the boundaries of the field and allows for a more inclusive and meaningful way of looking at and treating diverse populations.

Noted experts Derald Wing Sue and David Sue have updated the book to include new developments in research, theory, and practice. Major additions include: a more expansive definition of multiculturalism; the most recent statistics on the changing complexion of society; and implications for counseling and clinical practice that these changes have precipitated, which are forcing clinicians to redefine their roles and reeducate themselves on how to tend to these varied populations.

Completely updated, Counseling the Culturally Diverse includes:

• New chapters on counseling biracial/multiracial populations, women, gays/lesbians, the physically challenged, the elderly, and monocultural organizations
• A new section in every chapter covering "Implications for Clinical Practice"
• Updated chapters on counseling African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans
• New clinical case studies and real-life examples illustrating the concepts of multicultural counseling and therapy in action

Combining a sound conceptual framework for multicultural counseling with proven therapeutic methods for specific populations, Counseling the Culturally Diverse remains the best source of real-world counseling preparation for students and the most enlightened and influential guide for all mental health professionals.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 4 edition (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047141980X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471419808
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #156,758 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a mixed bag, September 3, 2004

By	show me the love "psychology graduate student" - See all my reviews

This is a controversial and challenging book as the previous reviews attest to. In my opinion, the negative feedback can be partially attributed to the rather overt biases the authors obviously have (rather ironic given the topic of the book). However, for all the faults of the book, the authors do challenge one's beliefs- an important aspect given that the intent of the book is to made future counselors more culturally competant.

Perhaps the authors can eliminate some of the harsh reaction to the book by taking the following steps in preparing the next edition (provided that there is one):

*include other groups- Where is the discussion on individuals from the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East? They have apparently been lumped in with "Asians" though there are significant differences between an individual from Saudi Arabia and one from Taiwan. Given the increased discrimination and hostility towards these groups since 9/11, the silence from the authors is deafening. Also, their discussion of "women" and "gender issues" totally leaves out stereotypes of males. How can one have a dialogue on gender issues if one is only addressing one gender?

*address heterogeneity of African Americans- The authors are quick to note how heterogeneous the Asian American and American Indian/Native Alaskan population is but make no mention of the heterogeneity of African Americans. Why is this?

*avoid loaded language

*make sure that statements that appear as fact have sources and that they are used apporpriately- The lack of sources for bold/controversial statements of "fact" and improperly used sources hurt the credibility of the book (check at random for examples).

*show a little more respect for the heterogeneity and diversity of Euro-Americans- the authors justify this by asking the question: "If you want to understand oppression, should you ask the oppressor or the oppressed?" (p. 239). Hum. Well, OK but how does this perspective help one understand this group's heritage, beliefs, values, and the cultural influence they have? Assuming that the majority of the readers are Euro-American, how does labeling all Whites as racist help this group? Is the blatant disrespect shown this group a good model for how this group should respond to other groups? If individuals from this group are to work through their cultural identity, how does this perspective help them? I recommend that the authors have their Euro-American students read a draft of this chapter for the next edition and then reflectively consider the feedback rather than blowing it off as racism.

While I did feel challenged in some ways by this text, I failed to get what I truly longed for from it- A thoughtful and balanced look at the multicultural issues facing the U.S.

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Insidious and Dangerous, April 14, 2007

By	luckyNYC "lucky" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This text is required for a course in Cross Cultural Counseling for a Masters Program at NYU. I find it deeply disturbing that a book filled with stereotypes of all races, ethnicities and cultures is being used to allegedly foster a deeper consideration of culture in counseling situations. The only positive thing I can say is that it is equally offensive to everyone - no race or culture is spared. The "culturally incompetent white counselor", the "powerless" african american, the "family-oriented (and always late) Puerto Rican, the "confused" multiracial, the "collectivist" Asian American... the list goes on and on. Many of the studies cited are dated, while others are recitations of other work done by - you guessed it - Sue and Sue. I urge anyone who is required to use this textbook to challenge their professors - it may lead to some productive dialogue about race, ethnicity, culture and counseling. Otherwise, this text is an insulting waste of time.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Counseling the Culturally Diverse, February 13, 2008

By	P. L. Stern "a real reader" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice (Hardcover)

This book is a disappointment; it has a negative and depressive overtone. It makes assumptions, gives opinions as fact, and makes intellectual leaps. For example, p. 311 reads, "But, just as the history of the United States is the history of racism, it is also the history of antiracism as well." That sounds balanced at first read, but to equate the history of the US with the history of racism ignores what is happening all over the world. It ignores the six million jews that died under the Nazi regime; it ignores the Serb and Croat conflagration, the Hmong, the Khmer Rouge. It ignores what is happening in Kenya, Chad, Sudan, and Nigeria today, or Rwanda or the Congo just a few years back. It ignores the history between Japan and Korea, Ukraine and the Soviet Union, the Australians and the Maori, the Kurds and the Iraqi's. That type of oversimplification casues me to wonder what else is not being throughly addressed.