Problem
You are required to write an essay regarding the topics that you have leant in class. Support your arguments/ideas with relevant examples and review of related literature from reputable sources.
Claudia takes over as director of a counselling centre that is situated in an urban area, which has a diverse population of people who come from various places. At a staff meeting, she sums up her philosophy of counselling in this fashion: "People come to counselling to begin change or because they are already in the process of change. Our purpose is to challenge them to continue their change. This holds true whether the client is a Malay, Chinese, Indian, or some other minority. If clients are hesitant to speak, our job is to challenge them to speak, because the expectation in our job is that people deal with problems through talking. Silence may be appropriate in some cultures, but it does not work in this counselling centre."
• In what way do you see counselling is not going to benefit the client and also the counsellor who is working at this counselling centre?
• Propose FOUR steps that you would need take to prepare yourself to be an effective counsellor with clients who come from diverse backgrounds.