A Preliminary Understanding: Group Counselling and Multicultural Issue

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Assalamualaikum and Hello Everyone....

Borneo is known for its diversity in culture, heritage and ethnic. Therefore, to conduct the counselling session here, especially the group counselling session, the cultural and social context of every ethnic has to be taken into account. Process of understanding the social and cultural norms of the particular ethnic can be gain through reading. Reading is one of the theoretical part in learning process. To spice it up, do some practical part that might boost your understanding towards some particular social and cultural norms here in Borneo.

I would like to share one of my article focusing on the preliminary understanding of multicultural counselling in Malaysia. I hope it can arise sense of awareness among us about how important to fully understand the social and cultural norms of every single ethnic in Malaysia....

Enjoy...

A Preliminary Understanding of Multicultural Counselling in Malaysia

            Aga Mohd Jaladin (2013) studies reveal that there are five major barriers that the Malaysian counsellors have to concern about the multicultural counselling in Malaysia. These five major barriers has related with counsellor characteristics, client characteristics, presenting issues or problems, third-party characteristics (e.g. organisation, client’s support system, society) and counselling context. 

            The major challenges that have bound below the counsellor characteristics are language barrier (Aga Mohd Jaladin, 2013). Same studies explain Malaysian counsellor may face the difficulties in language when handling the culturally diverse client. Malaysian counsellors are mostly from the Malay-Muslim background and they are having difficulties in discussing the issues or problem other than Malay language. In fact, most of the culturally diverse client for example Indians or someone that comes from English speaker background are comfortable conversing in English language, so language competency have been seen as the major barrier among counsellor characteristics. It is crucial that the Malaysian counsellors increase their English proficiency in order to create a highly effective communication between them and the culturally diverse client.  

            Next, client characteristics are found to have the major challenges such as lack of acceptance, trust and confidence towards culturally diverse counsellors (Aga Mohd Jaladin, 2013). Same studies clarify client which has different in terms of cultural background towards counsellor may face the stigmas that the counsellor may not be able to conduct the helping practices effectively. In fact, stigmas that usually address by others towards client that seeks psychiatrist or therapist to ease burden are always seen as problematic in terms of mental health. Despite focusing on eliminating the stigmas, counsellor may develop the sense of trust above culturally diverse client by taking care of their welfare. Above all, Counsellors Code of Ethics in Malaysia stated that the main role of a counsellor is to taking care their client’s welfare.

            Dealing with culturally sensitive and culturally complex issues are the barriers among presenting issues and problem of multicultural counselling in Malaysia (Aga Mohd Jaladin, 2013). Moreover, examples of culturally sensitive or complex issues in Malaysia are homosexual and domestic violence issues. Both issues classified as taboo by most of the Malaysian. In addition, Taboo means that the issues or problem are violating social and cultural norms of Malaysian. Counsellors must possess good persuasion skills in order to deal with these issues without promoting maleficent relationship between counsellor and client.

            Stigmas and misconceptions are the barriers or challenges among the third-party characteristics of multicultural counselling in Malaysia (Aga Mohd Jaladin, 2013). Most of the Malaysian stigmas and misconceptions are that the “counsellors are meant to fix and change people” or “counsellors are problem solver”. It is clearly that the helping profession of a counsellor in Malaysia is misunderstood by most of the Malaysian. Roles of the counsellor in the helping profession is to guide and assist client about their insight and provide understanding towards their problem as well as promotes responsibility in handling their respective issues or problems (Aga Mohd Jaladin & Lau, 2013).  

         Lastly, lack of therapeutic environment arouses barriers and challenges in counselling context of multicultural counselling in Malaysia (Aga Mohd Jaladin, 2013). It is the responsibilities of the counsellor to provide conducive, therapeutic and comfortable room as well as the environment for the client throughout the session (Aga Mohd Jaladin & Lau, 2013). Apart from that, the studies also highlighted some Malaysian counsellors found out their client will feel secure doing session across table rather than other setting which not require table at all. In addition, the issues or problems that client going through influences which kind of counselling setting they prefer the most, for example, client with domestic violence problem might be comfortable doing session across table with the counsellor as that makes them feel secure. Therefore, the counsellor must concerns client’s welfare from the beginning, so that they feel comfortable throughout their session.

So, how was it? Its quite long essay right, but, I hope the readers might utilize the knowledge that I have tried to promote here... Knowledge is all about learning something new and express in your own perspective. So, grab it and enjoyyyy...

To come up with the article, below are the references...

Aga Mohd Jaladin. (2013). Barriers and challenges in the practice of multicultural counselling in Malaysia: A qualitative interview study. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 26(2), 174-189.

Aga Mohd Jaladin, & Lau, P. L. (2013). Isu profesional dan etika dalam kaunseling dan psikoterapi. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Universiti Malaya.

Regards,

Mohd Saizam Bin Said (31254)