COUN 504 Week One Lectures Interpreting Culture This presentation involves aspects of interpreting culture.

Stances in MC Literature The multicultural literature emphasizes an emic perspective, which involves trying to see the world empathetically through the client s eyes, understanding the purpose of their cultural norms and practices from their perspective. An etic perspective involves viewing cultural behaviors from an outside looking in perspective. In its most positive sense, this focuses on identifying universal commonalities in the human experience. In its negative sense, it involves imposing our own cultural norms and values onto the other person s cultural practices. You can see how that can lead to misunderstandings. An etic perspective must be used cautiously, but does have some value in certain circumstances. For example, scientific breakthroughs in treating depression have cross-cultural value, provided sufficient cultural adaptations are included. When enough studies with several cultural groups have been done, we do not have to research every single cultural group to prove that Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Cognitive Therapy are effective treatments for them. We need instead to combine etic and emic perspectives to adapt the treatments for particular cultural clients. Another Alternative There s an alternative to etic and emic perspectives. This involves seeing another culture through a Biblical worldview lens. Instead of viewing the culture from the client s eyes or our own, it attempts to see the culture through God s eyes, applying a Biblical anthropology and truths from Scripture. Biblical Worldview Lens I How does God see this culture? To even start considering this question, we must begin with a Biblical anthropology. Anthropology basically involves how we conceptualize human beings and their nature. A Biblical anthropology acknowledges the value of all created things, but also sees human beings as uniquely special to God. Consider Psalm 8, for example. All human beings are created in God s image, a concept known in theology as Imago Dei. Humanity thus has incredible potential for good because of its creation in God s image. Given Imago Dei, a Biblical worldview lens expects to see areas of another culture s practices that reflect God s image and goodness. Humanity is also fallen. When Adam sinned, we all fell. Thus, from a Biblical worldview lens, we expect to see the fallenness and brokenness that all humankind suffers when we look at other cultures as well. Keep in mind, this includes our own culture. No culture is excluded from this truth.

Biblical Worldview Lens II When I speak of good aspects in a culture I am not limiting myself to the positives we might identify as also being present in the U.S. Christian subculture. When examining the Bible and comparing it to U.S. Christian culture and other cultures, we must acknowledge that other cultures can contain practices that it would be good for the Christian subculture in the U.S. to adopt. Failing to acknowledge this would resemble a negative (and prideful) etic perspective. Theologians call this presence and expression of good even when it s done by non-Christians as an expression of God s common grace. There is more to this term and it is nuanced differently among various denominations so I am using the theological construct in a limited fashion here. Because of common grace, some non-Christian cultures may contain particular practices that are more Biblical than some customs that are present in U.S. churches today. I know this might be a stretch for some of you, so hear me out. Consider the strong focus on family and respect for authority found in some cultures. Has there been a decline in family values/focus and growing disrespect for proper authority in the Christian U.S. culture? The reality that God can sometimes use non-Christian cultures to teach us something should lead us to an attitude of humility in the U.S. We can learn from other cultural groups. Now, it s also important to note that a Biblical anthropology doesn t stop at Imago Dei, the fall, and common grace. There is another important element. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all need the cross of Jesus Christ, no matter what our culture. Thus, a Biblical anthropology sees humanity s incredible potential for good because of our creation in God s image, our incredible potential for evil because of the fall, the potential reflection of God s image and goodness even in non-Christian cultures, and the need for all of us, no matter what our culture, to accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior. These are the foundations of a biblical anthropology, which informs a Biblical Worldview Lens examination of other cultures. Biblical Worldview III A Biblical worldview lens looks for biblical truths embedded in another culture. Do elements of another culture, for example, support God s truth as expressed in the ten commandments? How about Jesus commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves? Missionaries to Latin America, for example, often have the experience of genuine kindness from Latinos who are non-Christians. This reflects a common grace expression of loving our neighbor as ourselves. What about honesty and integrity? The importance and value of the family? The sacredness of human life? As you can see, cultures (including ours) vary on the degree to which they express core elements of Biblical truth. Biblical Worldview IV A Biblical worldview asks more questions than just How does God see this culture? Here are some other questions we can ask in looking at a culture from a biblical perspective. The first question, where is God already working in this culture, relates

to common grace and the fact that God is always pursuing humanity even when we do not realize it. Hidden reflections of his presence and work may be seen in cultures. We ve alluded to this earlier in searching cultures for reflections of Biblical values. The second question, What can we learn from this culture? , keeps us from taking a culturally encapsulated etic perspective. We cannot assume that our U.S. Christian cultural background does not have anything to learn from another culture. Again, think about the U.S. Do you see any values and practices in the majority culture that are impacting Christian subculture and might concern God? Any positive aspects that He is pleased with? If we re honest with U.S. and U.S. Christian culture s strengths and weaknesses from a biblical perspective, it will help us see that we can learn quite a lot from other cultures as well. The third question invites us to participate in what God wants to do in this culture. Our prayers can impact people groups, tear down spiritual strongholds, improve cultures, and lead to salvation for many people. Figure Venn diagram This figure captures some of the relationships between an emic perspective, etic perspective, and a Biblical worldview lens. As you can see, sometimes there s overlap in the things a person adopting an etic view might note compared to someone from a Biblical worldview lens. Likewise, sometimes observations from an emic perspective have commonalities with a BWL. Indeed, sometimes all 3 perspectives might lead to the same observations. As you can see as well, all 3 types etic, emic, and a BWL also have distinct observations they might make that are not the same as the others. Thus, there are shared commonalities in observations and portions of distinct difference in observations. Limitations in BWL Analysis As we consider a Biblical worldview lens analysis of other cultures, we must also note our limitations in engaging this perspective. Our own cultural encapsulation, individual experiences and perceptions, fallenness, hermeneutic for interpreting Scripture, and theology impact how closely we can engage this perspective. Only God is perfect and we look through a glass darkly currently. Because of this, we must remain humble in any biblical worldview analysis of a culture. We are dependent on the Holy Spirit to give us true light into the positives and negatives of any culture, including our own. Key Points So here s the key point of this presentation. As you read about different cultural groups in this class, use the etic perspective cautiously, keep in mind the value of the emic perspective, and consider the importance of viewing cultures from a Biblical worldview lens.

2nd Lecture Initial Case Considerations in MC Counseling This presentation examines initial case considerations in multicultural counseling. MC Counseling: Initial Interview Considerations I When working with a culturally different client, at an appropriate time in the interview, acknowledge your awareness of the cultural differences and ask in a supportive way whether the client has any thoughts about these differences. Keep in mind that other dimensions like gender and socioeconomic status can contribute meaningful cultural differences. Sometimes students are concerned that you ll create the issue for clients if it s not there by just asking about their perception. However, identifying concerns in this area early can lead to resolving issues early that might remain under the radar otherwise. Which is the higher risk? The way you do it and how you read your client s feedback go a long way in determining whether you are creating an issue or processing one that s there. Asking a question in the first session like John/Jane, do you have any thoughts or concerns about how our cultural differences might impact your therapy? can help you identify whether there are issues to work with. Nonverbal as well as verbal client feedback is helpful in deciding this. MC Counseling: Initial Interview Considerations II If the client verbalizes discrimination experiences, it s important to validate and empathize with these experiences. Downplaying such experiences could prevent building an alliance. Later in treatment you will help the client focus on ways to maximize personal effectiveness. Doing so too early could minimize the client s experience. Acculturation and second language assessment (topics for another week) are also important early considerations. General Case Considerations I Here are some general case considerations when working with a culturally different client. First, adopt a learning attitude towards the client. Try to see the world through his or her eyes. Seek consultation if necessary. Consider referring to a therapist of the same background if appropriate. Sometimes clients will prefer this. Sometimes, they will not. Also, you may find yourself unable to work effectively with the client because of certain characteristics. Try to work on these areas in supervision, consultation, and through educating yourself in the literature. Carefully evaluate this latter situation before automatically assuming you should refer. You may need to, but you may also be able to grow into an effective therapist for this cultural group.

General Case Considerations II Consider what is culturally normal when you assign a diagnosis. Do others in this client s cultural group see this behavior as abnormal? Interpret psychological test results cautiously. Consider client values and preferences in constructing a treatment plan. Finally, consider whether there are culturally appropriate social and community supports available to your client in the community. Many of these suggestions are common sense ; however, it s important to remind yourself of them. We are all human and can miss the mark in how we work with others. God s grace, our preparation, and on-the-job self-education can make us more effective. Lecture 3 White Ethnic Identity Development White Ethnic Identity Development I Janet Helms is the key researcher to know in this area. Her name sometimes comes up on state licensure exams and national counseling exams, so be sure to remember it. The model in this PointCast is the only one I want you to know regarding White racial identity development. The stages are similar to the ethnic model; however, there are some differences in the meaning of the state. In the conformity stage, there is a basic unawareness of ethnic differences in experience compared to a White person s daily experience. This can be conscious or unconscious in nature. Ethnicity simply isn t on the radar as an important issue for people. Racism is a thing of the past might be a perspective here. White Ethnic Identity Development II In the Dissonance stage, the White person gets more information on the experience of other ethnicities in the U.S. This might be from friends of other cultural groups or experiences in diversity awareness classes. The new information and experiences challenge previously held notions. Sometimes, the pendulum can swing, and the White person confronts racism as a serious issue for other ethnicities. Guilt over being White and anger at historical White mistreatment of other people groups can occur. More activity to address social aspects of racism often takes place. While the increasing awareness is a positive sign, there is a danger of a paternalistic protector role or over-identification with another ethnic group. White Ethnic Identity Development III In the Introspective Stage, the White person experiences reduced defensiveness over being White and reduced motivation by guilt or anger. There s an increased sense of autonomy, or individualizing the meaning of a White person s role in dealing with racism. Eventually, this process often leads to the Integrative Awareness Phase, where the White person recognizes how he or she can perpetuate racism through personal actions or implicit support of systemic barriers for other

ethnicities, but guilt and anger don t fuel the person s actions. Rather, conscious choice occurs leading to a level of involvement in ethnic issues that is not driven for anger/guilt reasons but reflects genuine concern. A selective appreciation posture is taken, with recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of White and other ethnic cultures. White Ethnic Identity Development IV More work is needed on White racial identity models, mainly because current models don t adequately account for the differences in White experience. White people rarely have a sense of ethnic identity and commonly experience a feeling of being accepted in the majority culture. There s a belief that the system works and they generally feel empowered to use it to get what they need. Some of the above aspects are considered in the White privilege literature, although I don t like that term because it produces so much defensiveness in Whites. Most White students I teach can talk much more openly about White differential experiences , since such a phrasing does not imply a negative judgment before the conversation even occurs. It seems to me that this is a main goal of multicultural counseling anyway, to create a genuine dialog rather than to produce defensiveness. Whites can understand their experiences are different, and when they do, more compassion towards others emerges. Research Needed Research is needed on White identity development models. Specifically, research must establish if this is a true developmental process seen in the real world, or if it is just a by-product of diversity awareness training for Whites who want to be considerate. There is value in such models, don t get me wrong, but the question of whether this process occurs outside the educational system diversity training context remains to be seen. White people can become more sensitive to racial issues outside the above context. My hunch is that is involves a different process worth learning about. What is this process like? Lecture 4 Racial/Cultural Identity Development Racial/Cultural Identity Development When we talk about racial and cultural identity development, we re not talking about a comprehensive theory of personality. Rather, we re talking about a developmental process that is seen most commonly in ethnic people who have experienced much racism and discrimination. I m going to present a generalized theory that combines elements from most authors. Multicultural texts sometimes list many theories that can get confusing. Focus on this general one and you ll get the key ideas. You will not be expected to know each specific model your multicultural text describes. I do want you to recognize one author s name especially, however, because it comes up sometimes on national exams: W.E. Cross. He has done much

wonderful work on Black racial identity development. Again, you don t have to know specific models in the text, just this general one. This model incorporates 5 phases, which are not necessarily linear: Conformity, Dissonance, Resistance & Immersion, Introspection, and Integrative Awareness (this is also called Synergetic Articulation & Awareness in some models). Conformity Phase In the conformity phase, a person often has not considered ethnic identity consciously and instead has adopted the stereotypes of their ethnicity and implicit value assumptions of the majority culture. The lifestyles, values, and cultural characteristics most like the majority culture are highly esteemed while elements of their own culture are viewed with unconscious or conscious disdain. There s an acceptance or tolerance for negative stereotypes associated with their own culture. Dissonance Phase The dissonance stage represents an awakening of sorts. It can be a gradual process. The ethnic person encounters experiences inconsistent with the beliefs held in the conformity phase. This might happen through experiencing a leader of the same ethnicity who is comfortable with his or her cultural background, or experiencing a group in the community who is proud of their heritage. It can also happen when there s a personal experience of racism that leads the person to realize something is very wrong. A conflict emerges between depreciating and appreciating attitudes toward both the self and the ethnic group. Resistance & Immersion Phase Sometimes the dissonance phase will lead to a Resistance and Immersion Phase. In this phase, the ethnic person has a pendulum swing. Before there was an unconscious adoption of stereotypes and a devaluation of one s ethnic uniqueness, now the person strongly endorses his or her own cultural background s views and rejects the dominant culture s values. In the U.S., this involves a reaction against White middle class values. The person develops a greater understanding of social forces that have harmed their own culture. A strong desire grows to eliminate oppression related to one s own ethnic group. This phase involves strong emotions. The person feels guilt and shame for originally adopting negative attitudes towards his or her race and anger towards the majority culture for the cultivation of negative stereotypes and racism. Introspection Phase I The Resistance and Immersion phase takes a lot of emotional energy. On the positive side, it s a readjustment in perspective, on the negative side, it can begin to create a limited self definition. The need for a positive, more individual self definition with uniqueness even from one s own common ethnic values emerges.

Sometimes groups may be rigid in their political stances, for example, with pressure to stay conformed to the group s positions. The person more carefully considers how his or her personal beliefs mesh with the groups. Subtle group pressures may be experienced to conform. Introspection Phase II In essence the introspection stage involves an evaluation of personal values and how they relate to group values and allegiances. There s a reclaiming of one s individuality in the group. An autonomous self that remains connected to the group begins to emerge. The person becomes more nuanced in how they see the majority culture and their own ethnicity. Both the positives and negatives of each culture start to be recognized. Integrative Awareness/Synergetic Articulation Phase The Integrative Awareness Phase (also called the Synergetic Articulation phase in some models) involves the culmination of this group identification-group individuation process. The person values unique aspects of their own culture as well as the positive aspects of the majority culture. There s more of an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses that are found in all cultures. Higher levels of empathy and compassion are seen for other cultural groups and there is more comfort in disagreeing with both the majority culture and ethnic culture when deemed personally necessary. The key phrase describing this phase is selective appreciation for both one s own culture and the majority culture. Implications Racial/cultural identity development has key implications. Both the counselor s identity development and the client s will impact treatment. You can see that some phases can work well together and some will create conflict. For example, how do you think a Black counselor in the conformity stage would work with a Black client in the Resistance and Immersion phase? How about a White counselor in the Conformity phase with a Black client in the Resistance and Immersion phase? We ll discuss White cultural identity development in another presentation. WEEK TWO Lecture Notes Changing Cultural Biases As an evangelical Christian, I conceptualize our tendency to have racial and cultural biases not only as a sociological and psychological condition, but also a spiritual one. The Fall has affected us in a dramatic way. We are created in the image of God, but when Adam sinned, we now all have an inherited sin nature. This nature impacts our tendencies towards sinful acts and even our rational thought processes. We are much less logical, rational, and objective than we would like to believe. All of

us White, Black, Asian, Native American, etc. have an inherited tendency towards racial bias through our inherited spiritual condition. This condition also makes us defensive when we consider things like racial biases. No one wants to be accused of being a racist, so sometimes we are carefully try to screen our biases in such a way that we don t even see them when they are there. Truly, we need God s grace to look honestly into our hearts. What Changes Our Biases? So what changes our biases? We ll consider the following in this presentation: Education, laws, media portrayals, cultural exposure, a theory known as the Contact Hypothesis, and spiritual growth. Education Let s start with education. Two examples will challenge our thoughts on the efficacy of education in addressing racism. Take a look at talk shows. Think about your favorite talk show host and times when s/he has had a Nazi, Skinhead, KKK member, or other extremist group on the program. Do you know what happens when one of these groups appear on such shows? Normally, their membership increases! Yes, that s right. It s great publicity for such groups to be on TV. One would think the membership would decrease if such programs had a positive impact in influencing how people felt about such groups. What about typical diversity training? The results are also disappointing. Most studies show that the people with a high level of bias who take such training normally actually harden their stance versus soften it! Such training typically only impacts people who already have a desire to be unbiased. It makes such people more sensitive to racial issues, but if you start off as a bigot, it actually hardens your bigotry! Laws Laws have had a positive impact on addressing the racial inequalities that were so evident in pre-1960 s era. Johnson s civil rights laws and others have served a valuable protective function for people of different races and religions. They have provided clear recourse & a legal process for people who have experienced discrimination. While this is a positive step, such laws are limited in changing the human heart. Indeed, overt racism may be addressed, but that may just convert it into an underground form. Such underground racism could potentially be harder to deal with. Then, there s the question of whether interpretations of civil rights laws have gone too far. Controversies exist over reverse discrimination, with many different views being expressed. Have the laws gone too far? Currently there are many controversies over reverse discrimination. Each person may have a different view on this subject.

Media Portrayal The media does matter in dealing with racial biases. Media creates implicit role models for people. Think about the types of people you see on young people s tee shirts. These are their role models. Do we learn from our models? Yes, so positive role models do matter. They shape people s view of their ethnic identity. We develop beliefs about achievement and possibilities in life based on our role models; thus, media and real life role models have great impact. President Barack Obama will have a definite impact on the psyche of African Americans. Twenty years ago his presidency could not have been imagined. Now, African Americans have a clear role model that tells them anything is possible in the United States. The need for role models is also clear in counseling. I ve noticed frequently that ethnic counseling professors have same ethnicity students who hang around them quite a bit compared to hanging around other professors. Why? One reason is role modeling. Live role models and media role models shape our assumptions about our possibilities and how we should conduct ourselves. Has the media improved gradually over time in this area? As you look at the movies coming out, the sitcoms, etc., consider your ethnicity. Do you see positive role models as well as mixed or negative role models being projected, or is it predominantly negative? Each student may have a different answer to this question. Cultural Exposure What about cultural exposure? Brief or surfacy cultural exposure can actually reinforce a person s stereotypes. Research has shown that only certain types of cultural exposure are truly beneficial. The Contact Hypothesis I These types of cultural exposure that are truly beneficial are based on the Contact Hypothesis, developed by Gordon Allport in the 1950 s. The theory is still solid today. This hypothesis states that it takes meaningful, sustained, in-depth contact with person from a different cultural background in order to generate enough dissonance with stereotypes to lead to changes and modifications. The Contact Hypothesis II There are also other important components. A sense of common purpose and equality must be present, or close interactions could be conceived in a competitive manner. Also, you can see from this theory how the church has been both a very positive force in addressing racism and a negative one in some instances as well. When church authorities such as Martin Luther King Jr. and others have spoken out against racism, they carry weight with congregations who are having increasing amounts of cross-ethnic contact. Leaders can be positive influences to validate the changing perceptions people have when they get to know one another. The same is also true in a negative way. Pastors that preach messages that support racism can

actually impede congregation members who may know people that don t fit negative stereotypes from revising their views. The contact hypothesis provides one rationale for your cultural immersion project. Spiritual Growth vs Spiritual Deception Spiritual growth is also a major component that can impact a person s biases. Throughout history, individuals and groups have used faith to transform societal racism or to reinforce it. When you look at the civil war, for example, you may read about abolitionists and persons involved in the Underground Railroad to transport slaves to freedom. Who were these people? Primarily Christians moved with the thought that slaves were created in God s image, just like them, and so no one should be subjugated to such a condition. In the 1950 s and 60 s, Martin Luther King Jr. led effective peaceful protests that led to dramatic changes in the U.S. One can look at other countries, India for example and Gandhi s role there to see another example of a peaceful religiously based protest that led to positive changes. We can also see religion used as a harmful force. The KKK regularly tries to justify its stance biblically. Radical Islamic groups use their religion to justify terrorism and an attempt at world domination with a Qur anic theocracy. We will talk in more detail about Islam in another week so don t get the idea that all Muslims are terrorists with that observation, but you get the point. Spiritual growth can help us deal with racial biases, or spiritual warping can harden them. Unique Christian Contributions to Dealing with Racism & Bias I There are some unique Christian contributions to dealing with race and bias. The clear statement that Racism is wrong is one of them. The multicultural emphasis on respecting cultural differences is based on a post modern social constructionist paradigm. Such a paradigm falls on its head and is self contradictory when trying to make a moral statement. For example, the argument that one should respect cultural differences can be used just as easily to justify a cultural group s racism. After all, it s part of their culture and one needs to respect differences. If one cannot judge a culture s treatment of women as unjust because it s a part of their culture, then we need to respect that. Get the picture? In order to say that racism is wrong or mistreatment of women is wrong, one has to appeal to a higher authority than what the community or cultural group itself thinks. Post modernism doesn t permit that. All you have is community and personal consensus to generate morals. All cultures are equal in their eyes because of this. It s interesting to look at the arguments going on in the literature in terms of respecting cultural differences versus women s rights. In social constructionism/post modernism, there is no basis for clear moral authority to decide the issue. Moral authority comes from religion. Specifically in my own opinion from the Bible. Racism is wrong because God s word clearly supports such a position. Christians of all colors/backgrounds are one equal body of believers in His sight. I could go on, but you get the point. In order to have a moral framework, you must have more than social constructionism and post modernism. They logically fall into contradictions and inconsistencies that make their ability to say

racism is wrong or any other truly meaningful statement untenable. Instead, you might be afraid to say anything of any real value. Unique Christian Contributions to Dealing with Racism & Bias II Think about what I just mentioned about Martin Luther King Jr and the fact that his peaceful protests caused much progress. Without a spiritually-based moral framework, why resist peacefully? Prayer is another unique contribution. As we cooperate with Him, God can work in us individually to change our biases. He can move in governments to change policies, and He can change societies. The Gospel has transformative power. In the early church, the communion feast was a time of great witness to the Roman Empire. It was one of the only settings where men and women from all different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds sat peacefully and shared a meal and communion together. This act of love across racial, gender, and socioeconomic boundaries powerfully impressed the Romans and drew people to Christ. Unique Christian Contributions to Dealing with Racism & Bias III I ve already mentioned the fallen nature s role in addition to psychological and sociological factors in racism. I ve also mentioned faith as a rationale for peaceful protests instead of violence. Three other powerful teachings are present in Scripture when dealing with racism and bias. Repentance calls each of us to take a look at our own hearts in matters of race. Seeking forgiveness for our own sins against other people groups and seeking group reconciliation between hostile groups is also a Christian call. A good example of these last principles is found in Dr. Robert Enright s International Forgiveness Institute. This group seeks to foster forgiveness between ethnic groups in conflict internationally tribes in Africa, the Palestinian Israeli conflict, Northern Ireland civil strife between Protestants and Catholics are just some examples of areas where this institute is working. Summary All of these elements can be involved in helping us deal with racial bias. As noted, some like education and cultural exposure need to be nuanced and adjusted in order to be helpful. The Contact Hypothesis and spiritual growth can provide powerful methods for personal growth in this area. SOCIAL CLASS & CLASSISM Social Class Social class structure can have two types, formalized and informal structures. Formalized social structures are like the caste system in the religion of Hinduism in India. The religion sanctions certain designations, keeping people in their assigned caste no matter what their desires. There s no choice in the matter. No hope for

change in caste in this life. If you re in a lower class, that s bad news. The government in India has tried to legislate away this system, but it s deeply embedded in the country through Hinduism. Many countries have more informal systems of social class structure. One s social class in these cases may be built on a variety of SES indicators. SES Status Indicators SES indicators can vary. How much money one makes, their job prestige, education level, access to healthcare, and peer associations all make up different potential aspects. It s also important to realize that self perception matters. One can make little money but have a happy family and a deep faith, making one appear poor yet be quite rich. One can also be a millionaire, famous, and yet live in broken relationships, drugs, and deep loneliness. Can you think of any famous Hollywood person who does this? So, it s also possible to be rich money-wise and yet poor. Self perception matters. Faith matters, as Christ said it would. Definitions So what is classism? It involves prejudice and discriminatory behavior towards individuals based on their perceived or actual SES. Classism can become internalized, where a person in the low SES level develops beliefs, values, decisions, and relationships based on the negative sense of what this means in other people s eyes. Poverty itself is an uncomfortable subject for many people. A psychological distancing takes place where we try not to think about it. It s also important how we explain poverty (poverty attribution). How we explain it can self-justify ignoring it. Remainder of Presentation In the remainder of the presentation, we ll focus on some low and middle class SES examples and take a deeper look at poverty attribution. The multicultural literature offers two common explanations of poverty. I ll offer a third one seldom considered and then try to make sense of the options. Low & Middle Class SES Stress Examples I Here are some examples of low and middle class SES stressors. Employment is a big one. At the time of this PointCast, the U.S. economy has taken a major downturn with lots of job losses. Employment stress involves wage stagnation even though the price of food and other needs keeps going up. More workers are faced with the danger of having their jobs outsourced to other countries with lower wage workers. Lay offs are common. Jobs have more pressure because constant retraining is involved due to changes in technology. Many jobs don t include health benefits. Housing is another stressor for the low and middle class. Prices are still high relative to most people s income and it s challenging to get a loan. The quality of affordable housing can be low and in more dangerous neighborhoods.

Low & Middle Class SES Stress Examples II Not having health insurance can be a big issue. More minorities, women, & children, also single-parent households, don t have health insurance. The working poor involve people with jobs that don t include health insurance. The situation gets complicated because healthy young people often don t buy health insurance or take it when offered at work. Why? I m young and healthy. This means most people who carry insurance are in age categories that have a higher chance of getting sick. What do you think that does to the price? It goes up, of course. At the time of this PointCast, the government has just passed major changes to healthcare. Will these help or end up bankrupting the country. Two tensions exist in the moral debate: Helping the sick and being financially responsible as a country. If the country goes bankrupt, everyone loses. Poverty Attribution I So what causes poverty? Two explanations are commonly offered. The first involves personal choices, values, and work ethic. You create your destiny. The second emphasizes social structural aspects: Were you born into a low SES family? , for example. Poor quality education systems can get you started with a distinct disadvantage. Race discrimination presents another barrier. Political parties can make promises and manipulate low SES individuals. Of these two, the multicultural literature favors structural causation while the majority culture tends to favor individual causation. Poverty Attribution II Is there a third possibility? Theodore Dalrymple in his book, Life at the Bottom: The Worldview that makes the Underclass, proposes another option, secular values promotion and transmission. Dr. Dalrymple was a psychiatrist working many years in inner city hospitals and prison settings in England. One of his ideas related to how Hollywood and elite culture promote values that are devastating for low SES individuals. Such values set up low SES individuals, especially women and children, to remain poor. Poverty Attribution III Here s an example. Let s take the value of free sexual expression without any permanent relational commitment through marriage. Live it up sexually and just trade-in for a different partner when you get bored or there s a problem. If you re a rich man who leaves a rich Hollywood actress after birthing a child, what happens? Not to much material and resource-wise for the mom and child. She s rich and can afford a lot of things. It s just the relationship trauma. Let s take the same situation but put it in the low SES. A poor father leaves his wife with a child. What happens now? Financial disaster unless God intervenes. You can see in her situation, she is at much greater risk for staying in poverty the rest of her life. The secular value, which

appears so logical and freeing , has actually enslaved people into the low SES. Perhaps this is one reason we can see that the Bible (and every major faith, for that matter) advocates for marital commitment in sexual relations. God sees the end from the beginning. Making Sense of the Options I So which is it individual causation, structural, or secular values promotion? In my opinion, it s a combination of all three. Making Sense of the Options II Our choices, social structure environment, and the degree to which we adopt secular values all contribute to our situation. Racism and lower opportunities are real. Our choices are real. And our values matter. As I mentioned, every major faith teaches the value of family and the marital commitment in sex. When middle and low SES individuals adopt secular values advertised through Hollywood and on many colleges and universities, let the buyer beware . Does this have implications for social justice paradigms? I believe so. Part of oppression involves promoting values that will lead people to destruction. Exposing the dangers in these values is worthwhile. This must be done in a spirit of love and care, however. Without the grace of God, all of us would fall prey to society s secular values promotion. A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL JUSTICE MODEL PART 1 A Secular Perspective I Your text provides excellent descriptions of a social justice model applied to counseling. The first part of this presentation will focus on some pitfalls to that model that should be considered. I want to clarify something though as I do this. I am not saying that the problems social justice wants to address are not real. They are and we need to address them; however, the model as currently found in the multicultural literature can lead to some problems. As you ve done your reading, you ve probably noticed that the primary categories to classify people in their various cultural identity aspects are Victim and Oppressor. Lower SES: Victim; Upper: Oppressor. Ethnic minority: Victim; White: Oppressor; Woman: Victim; Man: Oppressor, Christian: Oppressor; Other religion: Victim, etc. What are the implications of categorizing people in these manners? A Secular Perspective II First, it can create great problems for people who identify themselves as victims. While ideally, social justice counseling is empowering, the paradigm can also predispose people to get a sense of entitlement. In short, you owe me. What happens then is that people are tempted to externalize blame. It s the system s fault, not my own. Ideally, social justice seeks to help a person get a correct sense of

balance between systemic and individual responsibility, leading to empowerment to do something about one s personal situation. However, the temptation is great simply to blame the system. If one does blame the system, instead of becoming empowered, the person may become immobilized, feel helpless, and become dependent on government systems instead of becoming free from them. A Secular Perspective III What emotional reactions might people have who see themselves as victims? The first would be bitterness towards those they categorize as their oppressors. While positive anger might be channeled towards addressing inequities, bitterness goes beyond that. It leads to a desire for revenge. In circumstances where inequities have been addressed, and those in a victim category have power, the temptation is to stick it to those who were categorized as oppressors. To get even. To get revenge. This can be played out in the workplace, for example, in various forms of back at you discrimination, or in the neighborhood. These are some of the dangers of adopting a victim categorization scheme. A Secular Perspective IV For those who fit one or more of the oppressor categories, there are real problems, too. When a person is labeled oppressor, how does the person react? Many times they react with defensiveness and denial. They start blaming people falling into the victim categories and a reaction of I m gonna keep what s mine emerges. Much like traditional diversity training with true racists, secular education on social justice can actually harden the hearts of those who might be categorized in an oppressor manner instead of soften them. A person might learn to say the right things to get a grade or deal with a social situation, but their heart might actually say this is ridiculous. A politically correct veneer is adopted that hides a hardened heart. In short, the secular perspective can end up producing exactly what it fears. A Secular Perspective V Aside from categories, what are the pitfalls for persons espousing a secular social justice paradigm. Significant problems can emerge when one is a strong advocate or true believer in a secular social justice paradigm. The first is a sense of subtle elitism that can emerge. An attitude of I know what s really best. You don t. Your just not enlightened . The root of this is a sense of pride. One starts to believe, I know what to do to change this and to establish justice for everyone. If me and my enlightened friends could just be in charge, this would all be taken care of. This creates a real danger: a sense of justification where anything can be rationalized if it tears down institutional and systemic barriers and establishes a system thought to be equitable. In short, individual human rights can be rationalized away to establish this system. We already have lessons historically from the first group of people who identified themselves as being the people who could establish a system where everyone was treated equally and received the same resources. That lesson

from history has been very apparent, but you may not have learned enough about it in high school or college. You probably just skimmed over it briefly. Historical Examples I Okay, so now you have a sense of some of the pitfalls. Now I must an important clarification here in giving these examples. I am not saying that everyone who adopts a secular social justice perspective is the same as the people in these examples. They are not. I am highlighting, however, a danger present for such people that we already see in history has happened before. Also as a reminder, I am not saying that the problems social justice wants to address are not real. They are and we need to address them; however, the solutions proposed sometimes make the problems even worse. The rest of this presentation focuses on historical lessons related to the dangers of secular social justice for true believers . Communism advertised itself as a social justice model of government. Briefly, communism asserts that the Bourgeois (or wealthy) exploit the middle and low SES groups to maintain wealth and power. It proposes that this inequality of resources keeps the rich in power, oppresses all other groups, and that such class oppression must end. The system must be changed and dismantled in the eyes of those espousing communism. Does that sound familiar? Can you hear the similarities in the secular social justice literature to what I just described? Historical Examples II How does communism address these inequities? It states the resources must be redistributed equitably. Have you sensed that implication in the social justice literature? In communism, one takes control of social and government institutions, regulates all resources, control the economy to create jobs, assesses your personal skills and decides what job you can be trained for, etc. The goal? Since the environment has basically been the problem and if you just had the right environment you would be fine, the goal is to redistribute goods and resources equally to all people and to use the environment to create the selfless person of the state. This person would rightly care for the needs of the community and state above the needs of their own. Everyone would basically have the same stuff or resources and be sacrificial towards others. No one would stand out as above another person. Everyone would sacrifice for the good of the community and nation. In some ways, that sounds good, doesn t it? Again, can you see the parallels in some of the secular social justice literature? Let s now look historically at what s happened in countries that have tried the communist experiment. Historical Examples III The Soviet Union (now known as Russia) was the first communist experiment. It quickly led to a ruthless communist leader, Joseph Stalin. Stalin proceeded to murder and starve over 20 million people as part of the quest for a communist utopia. The government taxation, regulations, and bloated bureaucracy led to food

shortages, long lines, government control, and massive human rights abuses. Christianity and other faiths were actively persecuted. How about Red China (mainland China)? When Chairman Mao took over through communist revolt, over 50 million people were murdered and starved. Government regulation and control led to similar situations as those faced in the Soviet Union. Eventually, the Chinese communists recognized their system wasn t working and some capitalistic principles began being applied to their economy. However, human rights abuses continue. Tiananmen Square is one of the latest examples. Historical Examples IV Let s take a look at the smaller countries that have tried communism. Cambodia: If you really want to get a sense of what happened in Cambodia, watch the movie, The Killing Fields. I must warn you that it is very violent, but it captures the repressiveness of communist regimes, the elitism, and how they use the youth to do their bidding. Pol Pot, the communist leader, murdered 2 million people when the communists took over. In Vietnam and Laos, similar atrocities occurred. In Cuba, Fidel Castro and the sometimes-popular figure on college campuses, Che Guavara, murdered unknown millions. Historical Examples V Do you see a pattern here? In all communist countries, you have murder. There is total disregard to human rights. Why? In the government s quest to make the new selfless person , the state s rights trump yours. What you also have in all of them that I have not mentioned yet is unequal resources. That s right, the communist leaders and key officials were wealthy and had luxuries every day people could not have. Resources were not distributed equally. In the end, there were no new people of the state because the leaders themselves rapidly adopted the old Bourgeois lifestyles. How ironic! Historical Lessons I Do you see a pattern here? In all communist countries, you have murder. There is total disregard to human rights. Why? In the government s quest to make the new selfless person , the state s rights trump yours. What you also have in all of them that I have not mentioned yet is unequal resources. That s right, the communist leaders and key officials were wealthy and had luxuries every day people could not have. Resources were not distributed equally. In the end, there were no new people of the state because the leaders themselves rapidly adopted the old Bourgeois lifestyles. How ironic! Historical Lessons II From a biblical perspective, the communist experiment failed because its leaders, with such seemingly appealing ideals, were fallen, just like the rest of us. You cannot

make a new person of the state when you yourself are an old person sold into the bondage of sin and the fallen nature. When you point your finger at others criticizing the inequalities but don t see your own sin (consider Matthew 7: 1-5), you set yourself up to be an elitist hypocrite, and that s exactly what happened in communism. You can still see it today in communist China and other communist countries. It also is a pitfall for any radical secular social justice model. Only Christ can make a new creation (2 Co. 5:17). Only, in my opinion, a Christian social justice paradigm can address the pitfalls present in secular social justice models and lead to truly lasting positive outcomes. That is the subject of part 2 of this presentation (a separate PointCast), a distinctively Christian social justice model. A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL JUSTICE MODEL PART 2 A Christian Perspective I A Christian perspective is built on a Christian anthropology. We ve already talked about Imago Dei (that we are created in God s image) and that we are fallen. We ve noted God s common grace that can express elements of His goodness even in nonChristian cultures or people, and we ve talked about each person s need for redemption. We all need the cross of Jesus Christ. A Christian Perspective II I would add several additional elements to this presentation. One is the principle of free will or individual choice. We are not robots or trained animals. God gave us the ability to make decisions in our life. We can follow His ways or reject them. I know there are debates about predestination and total free will regarding salvation itself, but the principle of choice is clearly evident in Scripture. It s the degrees of free will regarding salvation that are most commonly debated. Another principle is equally important. Most of us, if we re honest, recognize things have gone terribly wrong in this world. We ve each experienced pain and suffering inflicted by others, and we each have cried out for justice. This is a universal cry of the abused and mistreated. The Bible speaks of a time when things will be made right. Each of us will give an account of our lives to the Lord after our death. We will be responsible for our actions. This is known as the Judgment. We each must stand before our creator. None of us is perfect, so I m glad to have Jesus Christ as my Savior and advocate for this time. At judgment, God will correct all the evil done throughout world history. He will make it right, even if these things were not made right in our life time. These Christian anthropology and theological principles inform a Christian social justice paradigm Key Questions So here are some of the questions: What is God s perspective on injustice? Where is the starting point in Christian social justice? How do we view our resources? How do we view needy people? How do we view oppressors ? How do we handle government and institutional injustice? How do we handle all the needs?

What is God s Perspective on Injustice? The Bible makes very clear how God sees injustice. He also is comfortable with our cries and questions regarding the need for justice. I encourage you to do a Scripture search on all the verses that talk about injustice. There are many. I ll just focus on one passage that reveals His heart, our human cry, and His response, Psalm 10. 1 [a]Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. 4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. 5 His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me; I'll always be happy and never have trouble." What is God s Perspective on Injustice? II 10 His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. 11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees." 12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account"? 14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. What is God s Perspective on Injustice? III 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. 16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. 17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more. Can you hear our human cry for justice in this psalm, the questions, God s comfort, and His promise to make things right? What is the starting point for CSJ? Given a Christian anthropology, what is the starting point in Christian social justice? The Bible makes this very clear. We must start with ourselves first instead of the system. The dangers critiqued in a secular social justice model reside in the human heart, so that is where a Christian social justice model starts. It starts with us taking an honest look at our own sin. We each have sinned against others and God. Before we can help others, we must recognize our own need for help ourselves. We all need the forgiveness found in the cross of Jesus Christ. After this individual level of repentance occurs, a group level of repentance for Christians is also important. 2 Chronicles 7:14 promises that if we as a people humble ourselves and repent, God will hear from heaven and heal our land.

How do we view our resources? After this individual and group starting point, we turn to our own mini-kingdom, basically, what we have. How do we view our resources? The Bible calls us to be good stewards of what we have. Our things are ours to give out of our own free will, specifically, out of a changed heart. We are thankful for God s love expressed to us through Christ, so we seek to love our neighbor as ourselves. We give out of God s generous work of salvation towards us. This is a very different motivation compared to the secular social justice motivation of taxing those with resources. In the secular model, you force the redistribution of resources. In a Christian model, God invites us to give out of a transformed heart. How do we view people in need? How do we view people in need? In Matthew 25, Jesus taught an amazing principle, that how you treat poor and needy people reflects how you treat Him. I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat I was naked and you clothed Me I was in prison and you visited me. When we see the needy as Jesus in disguise, the needy are elevated and dignified above us, instead of us seeing ourselves as above them. We don t just focus on spiritual needs like salvation. We focus on physical needs as well. A Christian social justice model thus is more holistic than a secular model because both are included. Also, since we all are created in God s image, we have human rights that no government can take away. These are derived from God, not the fact that some government decided to give these to us. How do we view oppressors? How do we view oppressors ? There are some evil people in the world. There are evil dictators, criminals, and governments. There are racists, sex traffickers, molesters, and abusers. Christ s message is clear. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Wow. Can you do that easily? I know I can t without God s grace working in my life. Beyond our enemies, we are to respect and pray for our government leaders in general. What type of attitude do you think this develops in us when we discuss important needs and social issues with government officials? What type of attitude does this promote in them towards us? What is the primary strategy? I How do we view oppressors ? There are some evil people in the world. There are evil dictators, criminals, and governments. There are racists, sex traffickers, molesters, and abusers. Christ s message is clear. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Wow. Can you do that easily? I know I can t without God s grace working in my life. Beyond our enemies, we are to respect and pray for our government leaders in general. What type of attitude do you think this develops in us when we discuss important needs and social issues with government officials? What type of attitude does this promote in them towards us?

What is the primary strategy? II Why this emphasis on inside-out change though? When government programs are the primary strategy, they quickly lead to manipulations of the system. Those who want to free load are helped just as easily as those who really need help. Too much help can reduce the motivation to make needed changes that will improve one s life. There are also unintended consequences. For example, the welfare program is important in helping needy families; however, it also can keep fathers away from their families because the mother will get her benefits reduced if the father is in the home. If a social worker sees the father in the home, the mother risks some of her livelihood. Thus, you have an unintended incentive for single parent families in the inner city. Government programs also are very bureaucratic and lead to heavy tax burdens on the population. This has significant implications for the economy and jobs creation. There s a need for balance in seeing what the government can and cannot do well. Private charities, churches, and individuals can be much more efficient and less expensive in many cases. How do we respond to Government & Institution Injustices? So how do we address government and institutional injustice? From a Christian perspective we start with prayer and respect for authority. In the U.S., there are clear mechanisms that enable individuals to engage the system through individual legal rights and community organizations. Networking and linking with other people and groups can help. Equally important is the stance towards violence. Advocating for government reforms involves peaceful protests and resistance instead of using force and harming others. How do we handle all the Needs? If you ve read multicultural texts, you also probably have a sense of feeling overwhelmed with all the needs that are present in society. Another part of a Christian social justice model involves the recognition that we are only one part in a larger system, the kingdom of God, that is intended to help address all these needs. We are called to discern our individual call and anointing. We are also called to take on Christ s yoke in these issues. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. We are called to work in a spirit of abiding in Christ instead of workaholism. Jesus modeled the importance of rest, solitude, and prayer. Finally, we do this work empowered by the Holy Spirit instead of through our own efforts. God has a plan to meet the needs in society. We are called to fit into His plan in a spirit of peace, rest, and gratitude.

WEEK THREE LECTURES GENDER I Being male or female relates to our sex. Our attitudes and behaviors focus more on our gender expression. What is a real man? A real woman? Each of us has stereotypes to describe what truly masculine or feminine behavior is. Where do these come from? Are general masculine and feminine behavioral differences completely a matter of our early environmental conditioning and cultural upbringing? Some might think so. Indeed, you may come away from your multicultural readings with that impression; however, there is solid infant development research and biological research that suggests gender behavioral role predispositions actually have both biological aspects and socially constructed aspects. Thus, there appear to be some initial tendencies that were created in us that our early family and cultural experiences can modify. What about masculine and feminine behavior? Some see many traits and characteristics in an all or none fashion, either being totally masculine or totally feminine. A more nuanced perspective sees a large continuum between the two extremes. Such a continuum allows for cultural differences between masculine and feminine expression. What one group sees as masculine may be different from what another cultural group sees it as. The same with feminine. Many characteristics can fall somewhere along the continuum between the two. GENDER II Sexism involves discrimination against people based on their sex and gender expression. Most commonly sexism involves discrimination against women. An example of sexism is seen in some common ways of describing behavior seen in both men and women. For example, if a man dates many women and has sex with them, he s seen as being good with the ladies and may laugh and brag to his buddies about his sexual conquests. However, a woman who does the same thing is seen as a, pardon these terms here, a whore or slut . A man who speaks up for himself and stands up for his rights often is termed as assertive and forthright , while a woman who does the same is sometimes referred to as a, again pardon this language, a b-i-t-c-h . These different categorizations for the same behaviors highlight sexism. Now, I might add here going back to the first example, that God might have His own categorization of behaviors, and in the Bible He does not discriminate between men and women. Any person, male or female, who is having sex outside of marriage (which I know is a big temptation these days) is committing the sin of adultery or fornication, the sex of the person doing the behavior does not matter. As with all of God s commands, while we re on this subject, there are safeguards embedded in His prohibitions. Indeed, sexual purity is the only guaranteed safeguard against HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. It can also protect against much heartache and feelings of being used.

WOMEN I Expressions of sexism are numerous. Historically, women have had fewer employment opportunities than men. While progress has been made, areas of difficulty still exist. For example, women have fewer opportunities in the sciences and engineering than men. Some of this has involved self-selection of career types, but other aspects involve cultural conditioning and sexism. Women may be socialized away from such careers in middle school and they may be picked on if they show interest in these areas. The glass ceiling still exists in many environments. Women can progress to certain levels, but it is very difficult for many to achieve top-level management positions. Slowly, the glass ceiling has been breaking, but more progress is needed. Women are challenged with numerous gender roles in today s society: Career, intimate relationships, home maintenance, and mothering children. Is it realistic to expect them to do all of these things well without any help from their spouses? Of course not, but many women have internalized a superwoman standard which leads them to expect to excel in all of these areas in order to have a sense of value. WOMEN II Tied to these role pressures are beauty pressures. The media and western culture constantly bombard women with super thin models and actresses. This leads many women to internalize an unrealistic picture regarding what is beautiful. Research suggests that such cultural messages are partly responsible for the high percentage of Bulimics and Anorexics who are women compared to men. About 90% of such eating disordered persons are women. Beauty pressures are only part of the challenges for women. Sexual harassment (receiving unwanted sexual advances in the work environment) is a prevalent problem. Western culture has also sexualized women to the point that pornography is growing in usage. Indeed, the tragedy of sexual trafficking the kidnapping of little girls or young women to enslave them in prostitution is growing worldwide. WOMEN III Some diagnoses are more common in women. These include depressive disorders, many anxiety disorders, and, as mentioned previously, Anorexia and Bulimia. We will discuss disorders more common in men shortly. Some cultures have more gender role flexibility than others. The African American community expresses more egalitarian family structures than many other cultural groups in the U.S.. Many Native American tribes also reflect a flexibility of roles for women. Regarding feminist identity theories, these have many similarities to those described for ethnicity development. Work is needed on these models, as many of these models appear to imply that women who are comfortable with traditional family roles are not as well developed as women who desire other roles. One can appreciate other roles for women and still be comfortable with traditional roles.

MEN I For men in U.S. society, a normative male alexithymia often occurs. That means that it is common for men in the U.S. to be very limited when it comes to identifying emotions, especially any feelings related to vulnerability. Men sometimes just know they feel good or bad . Their feeling vocabulary and experience of emotions is restricted. Male gender role conflict describes how certain attitudinal and behavioral patterns related to normative male alexithymia can become problematic when they are rigid and unflexible. Male gender role conflicts become very problematic in changing economomic and social conditions found in today s society. A focus on success, power, and competition, for example, can be generalized to the point that a man can t shift gears in a marital relationship or friendship where more collaborative styles of interaction are needed. Seeing oneself as the sole or primary provider can become problematic as the cost of living rises. Also, if a man has problems identifying emotions (alexithymia) and relating to his spouse on an emotionally intimate level, he may retreat into work (something he knows and can control) instead of dealing with important conflicts. Economic pressures and difficulties with emotional topics may also reduce his fathering role. The sense of competition with other men may lead men not to express more positive or vulnerable emotions to each other even when these are identified since such expression might lead them to being taken advantage of. Finally, for men in the U.S., marital stress can occur when both spouses are working and the wife is making more money than the husband. Such a situation challenges the provider value described above. As noted, the key to when the above common male values become problematic lies in their rigidity. In some contexts competitiveness and a restricted emotional demeanor have functional value. MEN II Whereas women have more internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety, men have more disorders related to acting out behaviorally in harmful ways. These disorders relate to anger expression problems and impulse control problems. Since this is not a course on the DSM (a diagnostic manual), I ll forego specifying particular disorder names. The key point to get is that men have more anger expression, impulse control, and acting out disorders than women. Women normally have more internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety and eating disorders. Note that I m not saying men don t get those other disorders or that women don t get acting out disorders, because they do. I m just noting that the prevalence rates are lower in each case.

THE ELDERLY AND POPULATIONS WITH DISABILITIES THE ELDERLY I The elderly are one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. population. The common stereotypes that go with being over 65 include having a rigid personality, being in poor health, having cognitive problems like dementia, and not being sexually active. A large group of the elderly might be considered young old , which means that they are in good health and don t fit the stereotypes above. Only 5% of adults over 65 live in nursing homes, and only 5-10% over 65 have dementia. Some conditions, like major depression, can resemble dementia in the elderly, so it s important for counselors to be aware of this. THE ELDERLY II While the elderly don t generally abuse illegal drugs, they do get addicted sometimes to prescription drugs such as pain killers. The addiction can happen unintentionally through surgeries or other medical treatments or intentionally. There s also a high risk for drug interactions in this population. The elderly take an average of 5 medications per day. One subgroup, White men over 65, has a high suicide rate. What cultural factors can you think of that might account for this? The risk for depression in the elderly rises for those who are declining in health. In regards to dementia, the caregivers as well as the person with the disorder often need support. Caregiver support groups can be a very important coping device. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES I When thinking about disabilities, different definitions are apparent amongst the medical field and government agencies. The disability does not need to be obvious and can occur at any age or any time. Disabilities can involve physical aspects, speech, hearing, learning capacities, or psychological aspects. Only about 35% of persons with disabilities work, although many want to. It s interesting to note that those who do work have a higher retention rate than other workers, meaning they are more likely to stay at their job. PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES II There are several errors that therapists make in working with this population. First, countertransference issues, like over or under empathizing with people regarding how the disability has impacted them, are common. Negative stereotypes, such as lower expectations, and prejudices are common. Another error involves overlooking office aspects that can impact a disabled person. For example, can a person with a wheel chair easily access your office? Finally, therapists must remember the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment, public accommodations, government services, and transportation

services. Three general models of disability are found in the literature: the moral, medical, and social models. MORAL MODEL The moral model relates to how people have tried to answer the question of Why? For example, some might believe a family has a mentally retarded child because of sin in the family or sin in a previous generation. Such a narrow explanation shows a very limited systematic study of the Bible on the topic of suffering. It also induces tremendous shame and guilt on a person or family. When working with clients or families operating from this model, therefore, seek to reduce the sense of guilt and begin reframing the meaning of the experience. You re going to have to know God s Word yourself to do this. Educate yourself on biblical aspects of suffering. Joni Eareckson Tada is an excellent Christian author on this subject. Identify supportive religious resources, such as support groups and compassionate pastors. Adopt a problem solving approach that empowers the person and family. MEDICAL MODEL The moral model relates to how people have tried to answer the question of Why? For example, some might believe a family has a mentally retarded child because of sin in the family or sin in a previous generation. Such a narrow explanation shows a very limited systematic study of the Bible on the topic of suffering. It also induces tremendous shame and guilt on a person or family. When working with clients or families operating from this model, therefore, seek to reduce the sense of guilt and begin reframing the meaning of the experience. You re going to have to know God s Word yourself to do this. Educate yourself on biblical aspects of suffering. Joni Eareckson Tada is an excellent Christian author on this subject. Identify supportive religious resources, such as support groups and compassionate pastors. Adopt a problem solving approach that empowers the person and family. SOCIAL MODEL (AKA MINORITY MODEL) The social model (also known as the minority model) focuses on the external, societal aspects of dealing with disability. It addresses common prejudices against the disabled and advocates for accommodations from the environment. Disability is seen as a normal aspect of life that needs to be included in how social systems are organized. You can see how this model balances some of the negative side of the medical model. Treatment strategies include processing the client s experiences of prejudice and discrimination, empowering the client and advocating for the client as needed. It s important to educate the client on his or her rights as found in the Americans with Disabilities Act. It s also important to know some disability etiquette . See the handout in your materials for this information.

NATIVE AMERICANS Native American History with the White Man The social model (also known as the minority model) focuses on the external, societal aspects of dealing with disability. It addresses common prejudices against the disabled and advocates for accommodations from the environment. Disability is seen as a normal aspect of life that needs to be included in how social systems are organized. You can see how this model balances some of the negative side of the medical model. Treatment strategies include processing the client s experiences of prejudice and discrimination, empowering the client and advocating for the client as needed. It s important to educate the client on his or her rights as found in the Americans with Disabilities Act. It s also important to know some disability etiquette . See the handout in your materials for this information. INDIAN PLURALITY The U.S. government recognizes about 565 tribes. There are 2 million Indians living in U.S. or 1% of the population. Increasing numbers live outside of reservations b/c of limited economic opportunity on the reservation (78%). Many Native Americans are also tribally mixed as opposed to purely one tribe or another. Native Americans also differ in their general appears (or phenotypic characteristics). These variations can lead to conflicts in identity and rejection/prejudice from both Indians and nonIndians. What is an Indian? The federal government includes 25% Indian blood as one criterion. This can create problems with increased competition for resources based on the number of people counted as Indians in each tribe. THE TRIBE Beyond the nuclear or extended family, a tribal structure exists for most enculturated Native Americans. Family structures are woven into the tribal framework. The self is viewed as an extension of the tribe, which is seen as an interdependent system rather than a group of individuals. Good behavior is defined as behavior that benefits the tribe and personal achievements are honored only to the extent they benefit the tribe. THE FAMILY I The specifics of the family structure can vary from tribe to tribe. In many of them, there is a strong role for women. The various family structures (traditional, bicultural, marginal, and assimilated) are intuitively understood and will be explored further in a later module. One family structure, pantraditional, is less intuitive.. These are assimilated Native Americans who seek to return to their traditional tribal roots and practices.

THE FAMILY II In traditional Native American families, the extended extended family is the basic unit, often extending through second cousins. The responsibility to raise children is often shared, leading to children living with different relatives in different households at different periods in their life. Tribal group identity merges with family identity. CHALLENGES AND RESERVATION LIFE Many challenges exist on the reservation. High unemployment, low income, and much poverty exist even on reservations that have gambling casinos. Thus, casinos impact are less than one might anticipate. Education rates are low compared to other groups (only 52% complete high school). Three general Indian groups often vie for power: Those who want minimal contact with the dominant culture Those completely acculturated and assimilated who wish to move the tribe fully into the dominant western culture, and those who are bicultural, who want to selectively advance their tribe while maintaining their traditional religious and family values. An example controversy where these 3 groups vie for power relates to the controversy between keeping sacred sites and using such land to improve the economy and generate jobs. You can tell about which groups have the most power by how these sorts of issues are resolved. VALUES Some common core values exist across tribes, but you still must learn about specific tribe. These values include: Sharing and generosity vs accumulating goods, cooperation instead of competition, Family & group taking precedence over individual needs/goals. Because of this, Indian children may be reluctant to compete with peers in class. Harmony with nature is another value, being instead of doing or achieving to have a sense of value and worth, humility instead of boasting and self promotion, Noninterference with others: This leads frequently to permissive child rearing. This value can also contribute to the challenges in addressing substance abuse in this population, although some unique indigenous Native American treatment strategies are emerging. There is a present time orientation vs future. This may lead to such clients not being on time due to lack of emphasis placed on punctuality. There is also a high respect for elders. NATIVE AMERICAN FREQUENT TREATMENT, ISSUES & STRATEGIES I It s important to assess acculturation and racial/cultural identity development as starting points to working with Native Americans. The degree of the client s identification with the tribe and the sense of connection with it are important. Does the client live in an urban setting, the reservation, or a rural setting? Does the client commute from the reservation to a city to work? What are the client s cultural

values compared to the majority culture? Native American values contrast sharply with individualism, competition, time urgency, etc. NATIVE AMERICAN FREQUENT TREATMENT, ISSUES & STRATEGIES II Some comment issues in treatment include suicide, which is high compared to the general population. Adolescence and young adulthood are the times of highest risk. Alcoholism is very high compared to the general population (over 700% higher). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is 33 times higher than the general population. Self-identity also is a frequent treatment issue for Indians who leave the reservation. The loss of tribal identity creates an identity crisis for many. NATIVE AMERICAN STRATEGIES Many multicultural chapters contain different suggestions for the optimal treatment approach with this population. Given the number of Native American tribes, this is not surprising, is it? When working with enculturated traditional Native Americans, communication patterns differ compared to the majority culture. For example, the usage of silence, limiting eye contact, and demonstrations of hospitality can be important in building the alliance. Now for a little advertisement that can help you with your student loans and serve many cultural populations at the same time. The National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program that can help you pay off your student loans when you graduate and get licensed and also enable you to work with a variety of cultural groups. Once you get licensed, you can apply to work at an urban or rural area of the U.S. While working, you would get paid a good salary and $25,000 would be paid off your student loans for each year served. Now that s a deal: Getting decent pay and having your loans paid off at the same time. Please prayerfully consider factoring this program into your plan to pay off your student loans. Again, get licensed as an LPC and then you can apply. It s a great program. The website is on your slide. Check it out. CHRISTIANITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND WOMEN Christianity, Social Justice, and Women I Langberg notes several significant sins currently going on against women. Commonly known atrocities include sexual abuse (25% of women have experienced this), rape, and domestic violence (again, about 1 in 4). Less commonly known abuses include female genital mutilation, honor killings, and sexual trafficking. Genital mutilation and honor killings are examined in a different module. Sexual trafficking involves brainwashing and enslaving children, teenagers, and young adult women as part of the prostitution and child/adult pornography industries. Infanticide currently goes on in communist China with its one child only law and also in some developing countries. It s women babies that are abandoned in the woods to die. Male babies are preferred. With all these abuses, one has to ask how Jesus treated women, how did the early church treat women, and what are some

issues that need to be addressed in the church to prevent its complicity in the evil abuses against women. Jesus and Women How did Jesus view and treat women? A first indication of this comes through examining His recorded genealogy. Four women are mentioned. This is surprising in and of itself, because in Jesus historical period, women were not mentioned in genealogies. Tamar, a rape victim, can claim recorded genealogical linkage to the Son of God. Rahab, a prostitute who helped Jewish spies, is in His line. Ruth, a converted gentile, is in His line, and Bathsheba, an adulterer, is in His line. God made sure the brokenness experienced by women was mentioned in Christ s bloodline, because God wants to redeem that brokenness through Jesus. Jesus ministry itself further dignified women. Contrary to the Jewish customs of the day, women were permitted to accompany Jesus and the disciples as they traveled. In Luke 8:1-3 it states, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve [disciples] were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary called Magdalene Joanna the wife of Chuza (Herod s steward), and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means. Jesus (a man) also ministered to women, again something traditional Jewish culture of the day was against. See John chapter 4 for His conversation with a Samaritan woman, and John, chapter 8, for how He ministered to the woman caught in adultery. Jesus first resurrection appearance was to a woman (See John, chapter 20). All of these things point to the dignified place that Jesus gave women. For His day, Jesus would have been considered radical in how He treated women. Indeed, He looked at His own Jewish culture through a Biblical worldview lens, seeing God s Word and will perfectly. He restored women to a high place of dignity. Clarification on Remainder of Presentation The early church also gave indication of the dignified place of women. In Roman days, infanticide also went on. It was legal to throw a baby that you did not want on a trash heap to die. Guess which ones people did not want? Women. The early church however saw female babies as created in the image of God. They would go to these trash heaps, pick up the babies, and raise them. If they got caught, they also faced a potential death sentence. This was serious business. Langberg (2005) wonders what it would look like if the Church followed Jesus and the early church s example in how they treated women today. One example is the International Justice Mission. Gary Haugen, its founder, spoke at Liberty. You had the opportunity to hear some of his ministry s activities. Now I need to make a clarification for the remainder of the presentation. I am not saying that the issue discussed in this presentation is solely present in Christian marriages. Rather, I address it here because of common ministry mistakes towards women experiencing this issue and pressures on Christian women to keep silent

about the issue due to doctrinal distortions found in some churches. Many churches do take a compassionate stance towards women dealing with the topics I mention; however, others do not. If the shoe fits you get the point. A Secure Christian Marriage Problem Survey research suggests the percentage of women beaten by their husbands does not differ meaningfully from the percentage in non-Christian marriages. Often, they suffer in silence because they are trying to protect the husband s Christian reputation. They also might experience pitfalls in ministry warped ministry teachings on submission or harmful counseling strategies. The remainder of this presentation is aimed at preventing that. It focuses on helping you recognize domestic violence cycles, common counseling/ministry mistakes in dealing with domestic violence in the church, and doctrinal clarifications. Domestic Violence Cycles I Domestic violence happens in cycles. There are two common ones. One is the repentant romancer. It starts with verbal putdowns and insults over time. Then, a slow escalation takes place over time. Pushes start, then slaps. Normally, the abuser follows this with a strong apology, pledges of not doing this again, and renewed romantic caring. He may go back to church as a sign of his repentance. These changes however are only temporary. The positive behavior decreases, the verbal putdowns resume, physical actions resume, and, this time, often worse than before. Again, the abuser offers a heartfelt apology, again there are romantic, positive behaviors, and, again, the abuse returns. Domestic Violence Cycles II The sadistic abuser has some similarities and some differences. It often starts with verbal putdowns and insults. The husband tries to isolate the wife from support systems like close friends and family. He is threatened by her spending time with them. A slow escalation, similar to the romantic abuser s pattern begins, except the sadistic abuser does not apologize and romance his wife, he blames her. He may even spiritualize His abuse, like God gave me the right to discipline you because you are not submitting and are not a good wife. Common Ministry Mistakes I So those are some common cycles, here are some common ministry mistakes. First one is disbelieving the victim. Not Brother Bob! He s such a godly man. Also, you might not be listening well. Victims tend to minimize what s going on. A passing comment may be saying more than you know. Ministers often incorrectly judge the woman s safety, and don t ask questions to really assess this. Joint sessions are often a first instinct and are a fiasco. Think about it. You re being beaten. You re sitting there with the pastor and your husband. What will happen if you talk about the

abuse when you get home? The subtle intimidation and fear of retaliation make such sessions useless at best and harmful at worst if they are not carefully times and prepared for. If abuse is reported during a couple s session, do individual sessions once it is revealed to develop your plan. State laws also vary on reporting obligations. Common Ministry Mistakes II Another mistake involves not asking important questions like Do you ever feel frightened of him? What happens when you express an opinion different from his? Has he ever slapped or pushed you? Has he ever hit you? Doctrinal Clarification Here s a big no-no that happens in the church sometimes, pastors contacting the abuser to inform him about the report before a careful evaluation, plan, and referrals are made. Not developing a safety plan is a big miss. What s the escape plan for the next incident? What about local resources that can help, like domestic violence shelters, support groups, and professional counseling? Sometimes pastors will discourage any type of separation, even for the purpose of safety rather than divorce. Finally, pastors often assume a husband who says he s sorry will change rapidly. The research says very clearly he won t. Church Institutional Questions How do women get the sense that they need to be silent in the church about domestic violence? Unbalanced submission teachings are one reason. Many times, churches give two sentences to the husband s responsibility to care for the wife and half an hour or more on the wife s need to submit. The Bible has much to say about the husband s responsibilities toward his wife. I encourage you to look at these carefully. First, Ephesians says he is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He has to display a mutually submissive attitude towards others in the body of Christ as opposed to always being the boss. Here s the big one: Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. Gave himself. Love your wife as your own body. I take pretty good care of myself when I get hungry, thirsty, or have another need, how about you? Love your wife as yourself. Do not be bitter towards your wife. How much does the church challenge men to grow in these areas? How much does the church emphasize the husband s responsibility to show the sacrificial, caring love of Christ towards his wife. How much does the church emphasize the importance of the husband s attitude towards his wife? I know churches will vary on this, but clearly, there s a lot to preach, teach, and mentor men into regarding these areas. Now, I want you to know, I love the church. It is incredible to see it when a church is following Jesus, loving one another, and obeying Christ s teachings. Here are some questions for the church as an institution from a social justice perspective: Does the

church inadvertently support wife abuse through unbalanced submission teachings, or does it call husbands to accountability concerning their responsibilities in Christ towards their wives? Does the church develop resources to counsel women experiencing domestic violence? Does the church develop resources to help protect women experiencing domestic violence? Perhaps in this presentation you can see one of the valuable roles a Christian counselor can have in a church, that being improving its care for women in abusive situations. The Lord will anoint some of you to do this.