Page 299 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

Counselor/Therapist Credibility 273

that credibility can be broken down into two components: expertness and
trustworthiness (Heesacker, Conner, & Pritchard, 1995; Heppner & Frazier,
1992; Strong & Schmidt, 1970). Expertness is an ability dimension while trust-
worthiness is a motivational component. The former refers to how informed,
capable, intelligent, and skilled counselors appear, while the latter refers to the
motivational validity of helpers. Both summate to determine credibility, but they
may also work somewhat independently of one another. Helping professionals
may possess high expertness - high trustworthiness; low expertness - low trust-
worthiness; high expertness - low trustworthiness; and high trustworthiness - low
expertness. In the area of cultural mistrust, it would seem that the trust-
worthiness dimension would be central in determining credibility.

Expertness
In general, this dimension of credibility involves how much knowledge,
skills, experiences, and training therapists possess to communicate to clients
that they are experts and qualified to help. Expertness is generally a function

of reputation, evidence of specialized training, and culturally appropriate
therapeutic actions during sessions. Having worked in communities of color,
attended special workshops on multicultural therapy, and having clients of
color attest to their expertise may enhance expertness for White therapists who
work with minority populations. Having advanced degrees or certifi cates from
prestigious institutions, however, does not necessarily enhance expertness.
Rather, cultural mistrust may simply predispose clients of color to perceive
these credentials as indicative of ethnocentric training; it may actually have
the opposite effect of reducing credibility. For many clients of color, expertness
is most likely determined through behavioral - expertise, the ability to evidence
culturally appropriate diagnosis, and using strategies and interventions consistent
with the cultural values and lifestyles of culturally diverse populations. Again,

what counselors say or do, how problems or issues are defined and con-
ceptualized, and their awareness, knowledge, and skills related to the specifi c
population are paramount in determining expertness.

Trustworthiness
It is possible for helping professionals to be high in expertness and low in trust-

worthiness. In my years of work in the field, I have concluded that trustworthi-
ness in multicultural counseling is perhaps the most important dimension of
credibility. A therapist with good cognitive knowledge of minority groups, but
who is not trusted, will ultimately possess low credibility. A therapist with low

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