Page 305 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

Counselor/Therapist Credibility 279

3. Vision statements on the values of diversity, defi nitions of cultural
competence, and personal goals and objectives of self - exploration and aware-
ness for mental health professionals are not only admirable, lofty, and
inspirational, but the question still remains: How can these be achieved on a
personal level? As indicated, while reading texts and attending classes, con-
ferences, and workshops on multicultural or diversity issues are helpful and
important, it is simply not enough. Being aware of one ’ s racial/cultural, gender,
and sexual-orientation identities and those who differ from you is more than
an intellectual exercise. In many respects, it requires experiential reality. Thus,
the following recommendations may prove helpful (APA, 2000; Sue, 2003).
• Principle One — Learn about People of Color, Women, and LGBTs
from Sources within the Group. This suggestion strikes at the core of
ethnocentric notions by encouraging us to check out the validity of our
assumptions and understanding from sources that come from groups
other than ourselves. Acquiring information or being exposed to minor-
ity - run businesses, radio and TV stations, or poetry and writings from
minority authors allows one to understand the thoughts, hopes, fears,
and aspirations of the people from their perspective rather than from the
perspective of the majority society.
• Principle Two — Learn from Healthy and Strong People of the
Group. Therapists, like most people, often obtain information about other
groups through mass media, educational texts (written from the perspec-
tive of the dominant culture), and what relatives, friends, and neighbors
say. The beliefs and images they have, however, are often stereotypes or
unflattering portrayals of the various marginalized groups in our society.

Blacks are portrayed as criminals on TV, women ’ s place is in the home,
and LGBTs are pathologized. Further, as therapists, we are often exposed
to a very small segment of the population that suffers from emotional dis-
tress, so it is easy to associate negative features to specifi c populations.
We seldom view strong and health minority people in action. We must
counterbalance these biased perceptions: frequent minority - owned busi-
nesses, invite minority colleagues and coworkers to your home for dinner
or a holiday, and attend churches, synagogues, temples, and other places
of worship to learn about different faiths and to meet church leaders.
• Principle Three — Learn from Experiential Reality. The factual under-
standing of diverse groups must be supplemented by experiences with
people you hope to understand. Sometimes it is helpful to identify a
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