Reference no: EM133760579

Homework: Conducting a Culturally Responsive Intake- Client Vignette Selection & Research

Seeking to engage with a mental health professional (MHP) for counseling and an assessment is an important decision for many that are influenced by cultural norms. The MHP must be aware of how culture impacts the person's life. Cultural awareness also helps MPHs develop greater empathy and compassion for their clients. Cultural awareness and responsiveness are necessary to build rapport with a client, utilize appropriate treatment plans and interventions, and conduct psychological assessments.

In this multi-part homework, you will review vignettes of hypothetical clients from diverse cultures, populations, and communities. You will choose which client you will work with. All vignettes will be for a hypothetical new client trying psychotherapy for the first time and is scheduled for a clinical intake interview with you. This homework allows you to analyze the critical role that cultural awareness plays in understanding psychological processes and behavior. You will research cultural elements based on the client's information and identify culturally responsive strategies, assessments, and interventions for the client. You will complete a hypothetical intake interview that applies biblical principles to serve the client. Based on the intake information, you will plan relevant mental and behavioral health interactions and services in a multicultural society. Lastly, you will self-examine your personal biases and their impact (i.e., transference/countertransference) during the hypothetical intake interview with the client.

Task

A. Select a hypothetical client and use the Client Vignettes (opens in a new window) [Original Media] to provide you with background for your chosen client you will work with for the duration of the mastery homework parts.

B. Research your chosen vignette's culture through a social justice lens. Consider the following questions:

I. What is the societal challenge for the client?

II. Why might the client be struggling?

1. What are the historical and political contexts of the social justice issue?

III. What are the social impacts on the client?

IV. How might the cultural factors and perceptions of bias, prejudice, discrimination, privilege, and oppression impact the client's relationships within families, friends, or the great community?

V. How will this impact your relationship with the client within the mental health profession (i.e. the client's relationship with you the mental health professional, you the health professional relationship with the client and the client's relationship with mental health industry views)?

1. What are your prior positive or negative assumptions and biases toward your client? Why?

2. What questions and research challenged you to address your cultural assumptions?

C. Research culturally responsive assessments and intervention strategies for that culture and analyze how they impact the client. Use the research to identify three culturally competent assessments and three intervention strategies.

D. Create a narrated presentation discussing the findings from your research of the client's culture through a social justice lens and the impact of the culturally competent assessments and intervention strategies.