Culturally Encapsulated: Dogmatic and Insensitive - Research Paper

Introduction

The first characteristic of culturally encapsulated people is that they are dogmatic about their personal worldviews. They hold onto their beliefs and views with absolute confidence even when there is evidence or expert opinion contradicting such positions. At the same time, they tend to be closed to other people's world views. They hardly take time to listen to others with divergent opinions and think about what they say.

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Secondly, being insensitive to people of different world views means they are not considerate about cultural diversity that exists between people; hence, they are quick to assign different cultures values as right or wrong, better or worse, positive or negative (Baruth & Manning, 2016). They also get agitated when confronted with a different world view from the ones they hold.

Thirdly, culturally encapsulated people do not test their point of view for validity in counseling. Counselors typically employ various tests to assess their clients, guide and help them understand themselves better, acquire new behaviors, and make more rational decisions (McCubbin & McCubbin, 2008). Many culturally encapsulated counselors do not adhere to this requirement. Instead, they forcefully assert their professional opinions without applying scientific theory to test whether they are valid or not.

Lastly, having "Cultural tunnel vision" means not seeing the big picture in cultural issues. Even if everything was there to see, such people will never see everything and not even realize what they are not seeing. This is because their sight is only focused on their perception and views. Sometimes, cultural tunnel vision manifests as blind spots ("Global Model for Building Tolerance," 2017).

The Most Difficult Component for Me to Overcome

The component that would be most difficult for me to overcome as a counselor is cultural tunnel vision. This component is not easy to overcome because it is an inherent human characteristic that occurs in everyone when it comes to cultural and equity issues (Hardy & Bobes, 2017). Unfortunately, it is difficult even to recognize one's own cultural tunnel vision.

To overcome my cultural tunnel vision, I intend to find a rational balance between my own cultural values and those of the people I interact with. Secondly, as a Christian, I have decided to love everyone regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Lastly, I am taking culture-related courses to increase my cultural awareness and literacy.

Statement of Counseling Identity

I respect the converging identities of all individuals and support everyone who has a positive attitude and values good behavior. I am founded on a strong commitment to celebrating human diversity and welfare with the awareness that we all share infinite similarities and differences. I do not only understand but also validate the real and perceived concerns of all clients regardless of their gender, race, class, or sexual orientation. I am committed to helping each of my clients develop in a manner that reflects his or her personal values as well as goals. My life is guided and anchored on my spirituality. For me, religion is a powerful expression of spirituality and belief which provides a community of fellowship and support. As I advance professionally, I endeavor to find more reconciliation and peace with full awareness of my responsibility as a Christian, counselor, and ally. Also, I am committed to life-long learning and the accumulation of wisdom.

References

A Global Model for Building Tolerance. (2017). Cultural Adaptation in the Workplace, 139-147. doi:10.4324/9781315268651-11

Baruth, L. G., & Manning, M. L. (2016). Multicultural counseling and psychotherapy: A lifespan approach. Routledge.

Hardy, K. V., & Bobes, T. (2017). Promoting Cultural Sensitivity Starter Kit. Promoting Cultural Sensitivity in Supervision, 141-150. doi:10.4324/9781315225791-23

McCubbin, L. D., & McCubbin, H. I. (2008). Reexamining ethnicity, culture, and health outcomes in counseling psychology. PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e519602008-001