Building Multicultural Competency through Direct Experiential Contact: An Immersive Case Study Experience

Authors

Michael Baltimore, Columbus State UniversityFollow

Abstract

As American society becomes more diverse, counselor training programs have the responsibility for instilling multicultural competencies for counselors-in-training. Teaching multicultural competency is a requirement in professional counseling training programs through graduate level courses with the content infused throughout the program. In this case study approach, students were asked to immerse themselves within a different culture in order to become more aware of their own cultural values, become aware of other cultures and to learn appropriate relationship skills necessary for building helping relationships. Resulting writing and presentations show an increase in awareness, knowledge and skill for students. Recommendations for including an immersive experience in another culture for counseling programs are suggested.

Author's Biographies

Dr. Michael Baltimore is a Professor of Counseling at Columbus State University. His research interests include counselor training, technology in counseling and clinical supervision.

Jadde Barnes, Tyler Brown, Janae' Carey, Tabria Jackson, Kevin White and Lecia Wright are current graduate students in the clinical mental health counseling and school counseling programs at CSU.

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Recommended Citation

Baltimore, M. (2017). Building Multicultural Competency through Direct Experiential Contact: An Immersive Case Study Experience. Perspectives In Learning, 16 (1). Retrieved from https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/pil/vol16/iss1/6