Immigrant/Family Counseling

This course presents the range of issues counselors encounter when working with immigrant or refugee clients. Initially, Euro-American cultural norms will be examined to create a greater sensitivity to unexamined biases. Models of cultural dimensions and world views, such as individualism/collectivism and authority relations, will be described and discussed. Differences and similarities between immigrants, "illegal" immigrants and refugees will be identified; attending to their psychological developmental processes. The effects of acculturation on individuals, couples and families will also be studied in the context of the multigenerational transmission of narrative. Woven throughout this analysis will be themes of multiple identities-specifically the way in which constructs of cultural contribute to one's identity as an immigrant or refugee. An integral component of the course will be the application of theory through case studies and role plays in class. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Master's in Mental Health Counseling Program.

Fall, Spring

012503