Pcn 509 - Communication Issues in Mental Health

Communication Styles Paper

by Cathy Ward

GCU

PCN 509

Introduction

Knowing The culture of minority clients and communication style plays a critical role in establishing effective intervention services. Currently, there is a strong emphasizes on counselors to have a greater understanding of cross-cultural counseling, is The differences in communication styles and the process of counseling, is vital for clinicians to understand, and knowing how communications styles impact each culture differently. Counselors are encouraged to expand their knowledge of ethnicity and explore how culture impacts everyday life for their clients. Counselors in order to meet the growing needs of their minority clients must understand communication styles from various cultural groups, in order to successfully develop a therapeutic relationship. Important components of being a culturally aware therapist This often requires learning, and relearning, and expanding on existing knowledge of culture important component of being a culturally aware therapist.

The Importance of Communication Styles

The counseling process is strongly guided by effective communication. and both The counselor and client both must be able to understand both verbal and non-verbal communication of one another (D. W. Sue, 1990). Counselors that have awareness of cultural differences will be able to effectively develop a strong therapeutic relationship, which will allow them to express empathy and understanding of the individual client needs.

Asian Americans

Asian Americans communication style is influenced by their religious beliefs of Confucianism that supports the idea that communication is to maintain harmony within relationships. Culturally, Asian -Americans do not express emotions and less emphasize is placed on direct high context (HC) that promote interpersonal sensitivity, using feelings to guide behavior, and using silence, as a communication style (Park & Kim, 2008). Asian Americans for example, might not make eye contact as a sign of respect in contrast, and Caucasian Americans use eye contact as a sign of respect. In addition, Asian-Americans may be more prone to silence and counselors need to mindful of the ways that silence functions in Asian-American culture.

African-Americans

Family and music are important aspects of African-American, much like the Native Hawaiians. Culture and music is an avenue to which African Americans communicate non verbally through by singing, tapping, and dancing, as are ways to they express their passion for life. Cultural constructs suggests the African Americans rely greatly on religious advice from pastors and explains why African Americans like other minorities, do not always seek professional mental health counseling rather they prefer to seek the advice of their pastors. Non-verbal communication, is illustrated by limited eye contact, from can possible be explained by African-Americans may be deeply rooted in historical racism and possible distrust for white practitioners. ( Maybe change this) Unlike (compare to another minority???) working with African-Americans nonverbal behavior there was a tendency to look at the listener while speaking and looked away from the speaker when listening and tone of voice was of greater importance than the verbal message being conveyed (Paurohit, Dowd & Cottingham, 1982). African-Americans have a tendency to communicate using their entire bodies and not just facial expressions to convey feelings and their culture has been described as high context (HC) communicators. Verbal communication for example, humor is highly valued in African American culture as a way to see life events as less threatening.

Native Americans

Native Americans are proud of their heritage and value their native language. Respect plays a major role in how the communication patterns of Native Americans. Like African-Americans, Native Americans do not always make direct eye contact or ask direct questions and this behavior is sign of respect especially to people in authority. According to Derald Sue (1990), Native Americans "may have been taught that to speak out, ask questions, or even to raise one's hand in class is an act of immodesty... some traditional Navajos consider a direct stare as a hostile" (Sue pg, 426). Therapists who lack cultural knowledge about Native American culture might interpret a child who made no eye contact as "suspicious" behavior or "sneaky" behavior. Therapists should not assume that if the client is not making eye contact, they are not listening because typically they are. There are therapeutic agents for example; medicine men play a major role in how communication is conveyed in the family. (excellent paragraph)

Hispanic/Latino Roots

The collective nature of Hispanic families influences their communication style which suggests that like African-Americans, interpersonal interactions