Cultural Diversity

Throughout my journey as a counseling student, my perspective has been deepened through my experiences within my counseling program as well in my practicum and internship coursed. I often times assumed, that diversity strictly pertained to a racial/ cultural context, and now, as I reflect it extends to so much beyond that; while race/ ethnicity remains a large component of diversity, I have come to learn that it also encompasses one’s experiences, the experiences of one’s upbringing, relationships, lifestyles, physical environments, food, celebrations, religions, and even simply how they choose to show up in the world and express themselves.

It is safe to say, I thought I had all the answers when it came to understanding what cultural diversity is and what it may look like on the outside, but there are so much more intricate layers, and contexts that equally deserve to be considered. To be the best counselor I can be and to continue to demonstrate growth in this counseling disposition, I aim to attend various workshops, seminars, and events that allows me to learn about other cultures, and unique experiences that I may not be privy to. I intend to uphold the perspective that I am a continual, lifelong learner not only within the field of counseling but within life itself.

Within this page you will see an artifact of a paper I had written within my program that analyzes the importance of cultural and social diversity.

The ACA Code of Ethics states this about the counseling disposition of Cultural Diversity:

“ Honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts”( ACA Code of Ethics,  2014, p.3).