A Cultural Formulation Approach to Career ... - ResearchGate

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orientation would most likely be ridiculed and not accepted. Clearly, Anil is faced
with a situation of multiple oppressions. This means that the therapist will have to
work on Anil’s drive for optimal distinctiveness, where a balance will need to be
struck between his affiliation and distinction within his groups. A question to
explore will be whether Anil can see long-term advantages worthy of the adjustment
issues that may be associated with the cultural and societal norms he decides to
adhere to and to those he decides to reject. Whatever decisions Anil decides to make
will be associated with some level of distress, suggesting the need for the therapist to
work on establishing new coping strategies and developing resources and support
systems that can help Anil through the pressures from his psychosocial environment
Cultural elements of the therapeutic relationship between Anil and the clinician. This is
an important aspect of the therapy process, as it will significantly influence the outcome
and satisfaction level of the client. In order for a therapeutic alliance to be
made between Anil and the therapist, trust and understanding need to be paramount.
This means exploring the degree of collectivism versus individualism Anil feels
toward his family, community, and group. Without such exploration, the therapist
runs the danger either of imposing an individualist approach and assuming the client
feels conflicted about pursuing his family’s goal of a career in medicine, or of stereotyping
the client and assuming a collectivist approach and assuming the client should
not explore other possible career paths.
All these factors will need to be investigated within the broader framework of the
self, activities, attitudes, values, and behaviors among Asian Americans to determine
the outcome of the career counseling process. In the end, the therapist needs
to be informed of the Asian cultures, expectations, and values to be able to match
those of the client. More importantly, the therapist needs to be aware of withingroup
differences that exist among Asian Americans, and thus, take an approach that
is mindful and thoughtful so that Anil’s individual needs are met within the context
of the larger Asian Indian cultural norm.
Overall cultural assessment for diagnosis and care. Culturally appropriate assessment
for Anil would involve focusing on some of the following factors. Because this client
comes from a collectivistic society, the therapist would need to look at the ‘‘self’’ of
this client as defined within the boundaries of the group. This client values the
expectations of his family and wants to be able to provide for his family in the future.
Thus, some effort needs to be made to mediate the expectations of both the client and
his family. The values, activities, and attitudes of his family would be important to
consider and be accounted for. Because the values of this client’s group are often
associated with harmony, face saving, filial piety, modesty, moderation, thrift,
equality of distribution of rewards, and fulfilling other’s needs before your own,
interventions will need to account for these factors so that the client can achieve
an outcome that is consistent with his values and identity and with those of his
culture
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