Pre- and in-service counselors get a wealth of authoritative suggestions and practical advice for working effectively with a variety of clients from today’s multiculturally diverse world. Through the author’s careful examination of convergence—the intersection of race, ethnicity, gender, and other primary identity constructs within the context of counseling—readers see their roles and responsibilities as agents of transformation, while recognizing the way in which dominant cultural beliefs and values furnish and perpetuate clients’ feelings in both the therapeutic process and within the larger society.

Table of Contents:
Part One Imaging Diversity   Chapter 1 Multiple Identities Defined       Multicultural Counseling And Psychology Defined   Diversity: An Overview   A, B, And C Dimensions   Conceptualization Of The Self   Images Of Diversity   Culture    •  Race    •  Ethnicity    •  Gender   •  Sexuality    •  Disability    •  Socioeconomic Class    •  Spirituality   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Desperation   Summary     Chapter 2 Multicultural Competencies And Guidelines    Multicultural Competencies   Competency One: Counselor Awareness Of Own Cultural Values And Biases    •  Competency Two: Counselor Awareness Of Client’s Worldview   •  Competency Three: Culturally Appropriate Intervention Strategies   Guidelines   Diversity Training   Assessment And Research   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Client Identities  Summary   Chapter 3 Statused Identities       Identities As Status: The Contextual And Social Construction Of Differences Model   Assumptions Of Hierarchical Socialization Patterns   Racism    •  Patriarchy    •  Sexism    •  Homophobia    •  Able-Body-Ism    Class Elitism    •  Ageism   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: The Difference Class Makes   Summary     Part Two Valued Cultures   Chapter 4 Native Americans And Alaskan Natives           History   Demography   Social, Psychological, And Physical Health Issues   Cultural Philosophies And Values   Acculturation   Case Study: A Wounded Mind   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Summary     Chapter 5 Latinos The Spanish, Portuguese, Indians, Asians, And Africans   Geography   Migratory Patterns From Mexico   Demography   Social, Psychological, And Physical Health Issues   Migration And Acculturation   Cultural Orientation And Values   Case Study: Oblivious   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Summary     Chapter 6 People Of African Descent       History, 500–1500 A.D.  The Slave Trade   Resistance To Slavery   Demographic Trends   Social, Psychological, And Physiological Health Issues   Physical Appearance   Cultural Orientation And Values   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Anxiety Attacks  Summary     Chapter 7 People Of Asian Descent, Native Hawaiians, And Pacific Islanders    Migratory Patterns   Demography   Social, Psychological, And Physical Health Issues   Acculturation And Experiences In America   Cultural Orientation And Values  Implications For Counselors And Psychologists  Case Study: Dual Diagnosis   Summary     Chapter 8 People Of The Middle East And Arab Americans         The Africans, Asians, Europeans, And Arabs   Muslims And Arabs: Differences And Similarities  Migratory Patterns From The Middle East   Demography   Social, Psychological, And Physical Health Issues   Cultural Orientation And Values   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Perceptions Of Dangerousness  Summary     Part Three Converging Identities   Chapter 9 Converging Race         The Social Construction Of Race   Race And Science   Origins Of Racial Groups   Racial And Ethnic Identity Development   Ethnic Identity    •  Biracial Identity Development    •  Native American Identity    •  Asian American Identity Development    •  African American Racial Identity   •  Latino Identity Development    •  White Racial Identity Development    •  Optimal Theory Applied To Identity Development   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Teaching Privilege To The Privileged   Summary     Chapter 10 Converging Biracial And Multicultural Identities         Definitions   Demography   The One-Drop Rule   The Fluidity Of Race   Biracial And Multiracial Identity Development   Research And Biracial And Multiracial Populations   Case Study: Denial Of Self   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Summary     Chapter 11 Converging Gender     Gender Definitions   Gender And Biology   The Social Construction Of Gender   Undoing Gender   Sex And Gender Roles   Gender And Emotion   Gender And The Body   Gender And Experiences In Therapy   Gender Identity Models   The Womanist Model   •  White Male Identity Development Model   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Building Rapport   Summary     Chapter 12 Converging Socioeconomic Class       The Invisibility Of Class As A Variable In Counseling   The Intersections Of Class   Class: An Identity Construct   Middle-Class Bias And Counselor Training   The Fluidity Of Class   Middle-Class Bias And Ethical Standards   Classism  Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Class Divide   Summary     Chapter 13 Converging Sexuality  Definitions And Terminology   Narrative Questions   The Importance Of A Focus On Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Issues In Counseling  Developmental Processes  Cass’s Model Of Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Identity Formation   •  Troiden’s Homosexual Identity Development Model    •  Sullivan’s Model Of Sexual Identity Development   Counseling Gays, Lesbians, And Bisexuals Of Color   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Assigning Gender   Summary     Chapter 14 Converging Disability  Understanding Disability   Disability Studies   The Social Construction Of Disability   Perfection, Beauty, And The Able Body   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Case Study: Rethinking Manhood   Summary     Chapter 15 Converging Spirituality            Case Study: Crises Of Faith   Spirituality And Religion Defined   Clinical Skills In Integrating Spirituality And Psychotherapy   Spirituality, Therapy, And Cultural Considerations   Implications For Counselors And Psychologists   Summary     Epilogue   References   Name Index   Subject Index