| Course description | Course objectives | Required texts | Assigments | Course schedule |
| Course readings | Case assessment format | Multicultural resources | Policy websites |
| Writing tips |
| Critical reflection papers |
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1. Develop an understanding of existential philosophical orientation of worldview, including relationships with people, nature, and things.
2. Develop understanding of the relationship between worldview and value systems, lifestyle, behaviors, beliefs.
3. Explore the issues of diversity, specifically race/ethnicity, gender,
socioeconomic status,
spirituality, sexual orientation.
4. Develop awareness of power and privilege issues, and dominant culture values, including values of counseling and therapy.
5. Develop an understanding of the impact of oppression.
6. Learn cultural identity models.
7. Explore cross-cultural counseling relationships, and cross-cultural counseling skills, such as the use of the cultural story and genogram
8. Explore indigenous healing methods.
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Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (1999). Counseling
the culturally different: Theory and practice, (3rd ed.). New
York: Wiley.
McGoldrick, M., Pearce, J. & Giordano, J. (1996). Ethnicity and family therapy. New York: Guilford.
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1. Students will write a cultural autobiography. Students will explore their cultural identity and cultural socialization processes. The paper should also discuss the impact of culture on current functioning, behaviors, attitudes, and values, as well as the impact of culture on views of mental health and counseling. Students may use the cultural genogram in the paper (see attached).
2. For the final project students may:
Prepare a case assessment of a culturally diverse client. The assessment should determine the client's cultural identity, and the relationship between the cultural identity, worldview, and current functioning, behaviors, beliefs, and value systems. The assessment should also include appropriate suggestions for treatment, including the nature of the therapeutic relationship, treatment goals, and therapeutic interventions. The "client" can be real or fictional. See attached list for fictional characters.
3. Students are required to keep a weekly journal integrating reading assignments with personal reactions to material and class exercises. At times, students will complete assignments to be included in the journal entries. Journals will be collected and graded weekly.
Grading policy
Autobiography 40%
Final project 40%
Journals 20%
Grading scale:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
Below 70 D
Note: Attendance to class is mandatory. Students should see the course catalogue for the official attendance policy.
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Date
Topic
Assignment
May 22 &>
May 29 Historical/sociopolitical
issues
Katz
Cultural frameworks-
&>
June 5 Acculturation
Birman
Ethnicity
McGoldrick
June 12 Special populations
Helms, McIntosh
Whites
June 19 Native Americans Garret
June 26 African Americans Cross
July 3 Asian Americans Sue, Root
July 10 Hispanic Americans Castex
July 17 Cultural factors
Gilbert
Gender/Sexual orientation
D'Augell
July 24 Social class Kliman
July 31 Spirituality Walsh
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I. Demographic information
Name, date of birth (age), ethnicity/race, gender, religion, immigration
status, education, work place
II. Background information
A detailed description of the client's family, cultural background, educational experience. Any previous treatment history.
III. Behavioral observations
Any significant observations about the client's behavior, roles, characteristics, communication patterns, interpersonal relationships
IV. Presenting Problem
A discussion of the client's presenting problem or symptoms. Be sure to discuss the connection to cultural actors if they exist.
V. Treatment goals
Discuss concrete goals for the client, frequency of sessions if recommended, and modality of treatment. Also, be sure to discuss any issues that may need to be addressed in the therapeutic relationship.
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African/ African American
Movies
Books
Jungle Fever
Brothers and Sisters (Bebe Moore Campbell)
Boyz N the Hood
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
Ghosts of Mississippi
Gather Together in my Name (Maya Angelou) Imitation of Life
Asian/ Asian American
Movies
Books
Mississippi Masala
Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan)
Platoon
The Kitchen God's Wife (Amy Tan)
Full Metal Jacket
Joy Luck Club
Hispanic Americans/ Latino
Movies
Books
Mi Familia
House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros)
La Bamba
Streets of Fire (Soledad Santiago)
El Norte
Lone Star Texas
Native American Indian
Movies
Books
Dances with Wolves
The Education of Little Tee (Forrest Carter
The Broken Cord
The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heavan (Barbara Kingsolver)
The Last of the Mohicans
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (Sherman Alexie)
Cheyenne Autumn
White/ Caucasian
Movies
Books
Jungle Fever
Brothers and Sisters (Bebe Moore Campbell)
White Women, Race Matters (Ruth Frankebberg)
Immigration
Avalon
Jewish
Schindler's List
Sexual orientation
Coffee will Make you Black (April Sinclair)
Women of Brewster's Place (Gloria Naylor)
Another Country (James Baldwin)
Invisible Life (E. Lynn Harris)