COUNSELING AFRICAN AMERICANS REVIEW OF CHAPTER 14 Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice-- Derald Wing Sue & David Sue

Statistically Speaking Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Poverty Disadvantaged Status Racism Remember the common theme, tie that binds the statistics together Although these statistics are grim, much of the literature is based on the economically disadvantaged rather than on other segments of the African American population (Sue & Sue, Pg. 365-366, 2013) When you observe the statistics, it easy to understand why much of the literature focuses on the economically disadvantaged segment.

Only 13% of the total population, but… Approximately 23% of AA adults do not have a high school diploma Infant mortality for black mothers is twice as high as for white mothers Lifespan of AA is 6 years shorter on average than that of whites Median wealth of white households is 20 times that of AA households

Middle- and Upper-Class African Americans “This country is filled with highly successful Black men who are leading balanced, stable, productive lives working all over the labor market.” –Hugh Price, former National Urban League President Even among this group of successful AA men earning $75,000 a year or more, 6 in 10 reported being victims of racism AND having someone close to them murdered or incarcerated.

Ethnic & Racial Identity The sequential process of racial identity and implications for counseling Many believe that minorities go through a sequential process of racial identity or consciousness The process involves a transformation from a non-Afrocentric identity to one that is Afrocentric Process in which blacks in American move from a white frame of reference to a positive black frame of reference The Cross model, presented in Chapter 11, identifies 4 stages does anyone remember the stages? Pre-encounter, encounter, immersion-emersion, and internalization Pre-encounter: Devalue blackness; self-hate, low self-esteem, poor mental health Encounter stage: experience of a crisis; shifting worldviews; experiences both guilt and anger over being brainwashed by white America Immersion-emersion: withdraw from dominate culture; immerses in AA culture; increase sense of pride less guilt and anger Internalization: conflicts between old and new identities are resolved; black self-acceptance (black nationalist, bi-culturalist, multiculturalists) Chapter 11, pg. 291-292

Implications for Counseling African American preferences for counselor ethnicity are often related to their current stage of racial identity Preference regarding the race of a counselor are usually tied to the issue Depression, anxiety, drug/alcohol abuse, meeting new people, overcoming loneliness, and dealing with anger? Racial issues and personal relationships? Pre-encounter tend to prefer white counselors Later stages prefer AA counselors First question: 75% of those surveyed would have no preference regarding the race of the counselor Second question: 50% have preference for black counselor Among those surveyed, the degree of therapeutic alliance with White counselors was not only affected by the client’s stage of racial identity but also by similarities in gender, age, attitudes, and beliefs, and understanding of the particular issue the client was facing (parenting, anxiety)

Most important counselor characteristic… Often, the most important counselor characteristic for African Americans is the cultural sensitivity of the counselor (Sue & Sue, pg. 367, 2013).

Family Structure Kinship Bonds with Extended Family and Friends

Family Structure… Increasingly, black families are headed by single parents The African American family is often described as matriarchal Black children are significantly less likely than other children to be living with two married parents African American family structure has many strengths Differences should not be seen as “deficits” 1/3 of AA households are headed by married couples, compared with ½ of all households (US Census Bureau) Among lower-class AA families 63% headed by women versus 33% of all households 35% versus 84% for Asian children, 64% for Hispanic children, and 75% for white children (2010, Child Trends) According to BlackDemographics.com In 2008, 72% of all births to black women were outside of marriage, compared to 29% for white women Strengths: Rearing of children is task shared by relatives, older children, close friends AA adolescents have the lowest rates of substance use compared to whites and other ethnic groups Extended family network provides emotional and economic support Flexibility in family roles Strong kinship bonds Strong work and achievement ethic Substantial parenting involvement emphasizing achievement, self-respect, and racial pride AA men and women value such behaviors as assertiveness Men are more accepting of women’s work roles and are more willing to share in the responsibilities traditionally assigned to women Basis of the “Strong Black Woman” image – self reliant, capable to handle challenges, racial pride, all while nurturing the family

Family Structure… For family therapy to be successful, counselors must first identify their own set of beliefs and values regarding appropriate roles and communication patterns within a family and take care not to impose these beliefs on other families. Put on “different lenses” Different lenses: Move from seeing deficits to seeing assets and strengths when evaluating AA families Warmth, communication, and consistent discipline are protective against drug use by AA youth AA adolescents life is complicated by racism – most believe that race is still a factor in how they are judged. For AA adolescent females often view themselves as a double negative – Black and Woman Unfortunately, they are the fastest growing incarcerated group of young people in America – 49 per 1,000 as compared to 9 per 1,000 white girls and 15 per 1,000 Hispanic girls (California statistic) In general, the crimes are non-violent and frequently associated with poverty, homelessness, and mistreatment within the home. Physical discipline and critical comments are not necessarily negative; in AA culture perceived as signs of caring and concern Traditional parent education approaches are often inappropriate for AA families, and can perpetuate the racist view that minorities have deficient child-rearing skills Therapists should work to strengthen and increase functionality of the original family structure rather than attempting to change it When working with economically disadvantaged AA families, the counselor may need to assume various roles: advocate, case manager, problem solver, and mentor to navigate community, educational, and judicial systems

Spiritual and Religious Values Spirituality and religion play an important role in many African American Families

Spiritual & Religious Values… The Church is an important support system. What might the church provide? Support systems connected with the church have been found to promote resilience in African American undergraduates exposed to microaggressions The church is an important support system Church participation provides comfort, economic support, and opportunities for self-expression, leadership and community involvement Counselors might consider enlisting church leaders to help the client deal with social and economic stressors—church personnel often have enhanced understanding of the family dynamics and living conditions of the parishioners Who can tell me what a microaggression is?

Racism & Discrimination “Am I being treated this way because I’m black?” “Do I protest it or just take it?” “What if they had been white?” For many AA, racism is an ongoing part of living in US; dealing with microaggressions are not uncommon among AA Federal response to Hurricane Katrina??? 43% of AA believe there is “a lot” of anti-black discrimination in the US as compared to 13% of whites These differences in opinion affect our views of social and health systems Whereas 50% of whites believe blacks have equal societal opportunities, 81% of blacks believe more change is needed

Mountain Dew Commercial Aussie KFC Commercial Flea & Tick Puppy Commercial Is it racism or just funny advertisement?

Racism to Colorism What is Colorism? Light skin/Dark skin are there differences in treatment? Racial socialization can help buffer the effects of racism Differential treatment based on skin color that often occurs unconsciously (Colorism) Differences in treatment include: more intelligent or attractive; housing and employment opportunities; shorter sentences w/similar crimes AA parents need to talk about racism and prejudice with their children; it can help alleviate the negative effects of racial discrimination experiences when they occur

Implications for Clinical Practice Developing the therapeutic relationship

4 Interactive Factors for African American Clients Reactions to Racial Oppression or “Historical Hostility” Influence of Afro-American Culture Influence of Majority Culture Personal Experiences and Endowments Task of the counselor is to help the client understand the effects of these interactive factors and allow such understanding to guide conscious, growth-producing choices. Most AA have experienced racism in some form—counselor needs to explore if this factor plays a role in the present problems; historical hostility is reaction in response to current and/or past suffering endured by the “group”, ex: 40 acres and a mule What influence does culture and tradition play in the client’s behavior? Individual experiences are significant and can play a vial role in understanding client behavior AA have a high rate of therapy termination –effective egalitarian therapeutic relationship is important Ask the client about working with a counselor of a different ethnic background “Sometimes clients feel uncomfortable working with a counselor of a different race. Would this be a problem for you?” Identify clients expectations and find out what they believe counseling entails; determine how they view the problem and possible solutions If client is thee involuntarily, discuss how counseling can be made useful for them Assess positive assets of the client—family, relatives, friends, community resources, and the church

What does it mean to be “black” in America? Ask yourself this question again. Is your answer any different?

Reference Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice, Chapter 14. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.