May 6 - 8, 2002
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Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services
to Persons Born in other Countries May 6 - 8, 2002 |
Multiculturalism and empowerment: Bridging the client-counselor gap
Parashar, D.
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, Wisconsin USA
dparashar@students.wisc.edu
Abstract
In America, rehabilitation of people with disabilities has come a long way in 30 years, initiated by federal legislation. The value of enhanced participatory relationships with clients, built on informed choice, is recognized. As multicultural America bec omes mainstream, and increasingly multiethnic, there is a timely opportunity for rehabilitation counselors to forge working alliances with people from diverse cultures. The Americans with Disabilities Act promises full participation in the society, but fo r an increasing number of racial/ethnic minorities, it remains an unfulfilled promise. How do we recognize clients' individuality and honor their cultural values? This paper will address the effects of a congruent client-counselor value system. Empowermen t values, and their internalization will be discussed, with special attention to multiculturalism, spirituality, and the extent that client/counselor collaboration opens informed choices to the consumer. Recommendations include how to enhance the cultural sensitivity of counselors, "empower" the client-counselor relationship and provide rehabilitation services to clients from diverse backgrounds, to improve rehabilitation and its effectiveness.