After rereading my cultural autobiography, I am still in complete agreement with everything I stated. When I wrote the autobiography, at the beginning of the course, I had only a surface level understanding of the nature of the multicultural content. Now that I know that much of the literature on cultural competency casts White people into a light of unearned privilege, racism, prejudice, and ignorance of their own culture, I am even more satisfied with what I discussed in my essay. I cannot help but recall the question and answer format dialogue between Derald Wing Sue and several White students, in Sue’s 2008 text, that he insisted were representative responses for the population. The last exchange involved Sue and a 65-year-old former construction worker. The man explained to Sue that his grandparents came to America from Ireland and worked 24 hour days to give a decent life to their children, as well as rude comments about other races. I take issue with Sue’s claim that such a response is …show more content…
I enjoy learning about cultural or religious differences, and the people I will meet during my practicum will serve to make me a more knowledgeable practitioner. With that being said, I would want to focus on cultural aspects that are clinically significant, such as the client’s cultural view of mental illness and clinicians. Amongst other specific aspects of culture that can have clinical implications, it is useful to know if an individual’s culture has preconceived notions about mental health that could serve to enhance or hinder treatment. Of course, this is not just a cultural question; it is always beneficial to know a client’s unique perspective on the therapy and mental illness as