As a society, we have made tremendous strides in reducing the stigma around mental health and encouraging youth and adults to report and seek treatment for mental health concerns, behavioral and substance use disorders. In 2020, approximately 41.4 million adults across the United States sought treatment for mental health counseling within the year, including counseling, inpatient and outpatient treatment, and prescription medication. Despite positive progress, there is still a disparity between who can comfortably seek and access mental health resources. Data from a National Health Interview Survey shows that non-Hispanic white adults (23%) were more likely than non-Hispanic black (13.6%) and Hispanic (12.9%) adults to receive any mental health treatment in their lifetime.
Multicultural considerations in counseling matter; counselors must learn cultural competencies to further diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in mental health.
In recent years, higher education counseling programs are increasingly focused on multicultural considerations in counseling. Education is changing to ensure counselors understand the importance of cultural competencies and learn the historical influences and persisting challenges marginalized groups face in the United States.
Mental health counselors should never use a one-size-fits-all approach to treat clients. Although mental health may feel like a private and personal experience, counselors can only understand mental health from a holistic perspective that considers intermingling factors, including biological predispositions, past trauma, cultural values, and more. Dr. Heidi L. Henry, assistant professor of counselor education at St. Bonaventure University, co-authored an article titled “Religious Identity Development and Multicultural Competence: A Correlational Study of Counseling Students” to explore how religious identity impacts the cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills a counseling student must develop to work with diverse clients.
Read more at SBU.edu.
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