According to Paniagua, there are several important points clinicians should consider when working with Hispanic/Latino clients. Describe at least five of them.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The clinician should use a problem-solving approach for working with clients; consideration should be given to including the family in the counseling process by intentionally mentioning this possibility to the client and his or her family; the clinician should talk about spiritual issues, including the mal puesto, or the hex and mal de ojo, or the evil eye. These beliefs may control the manner in which the client sees the problem, and consequently, they should be explored during the first session; listen for client’s individual and cultural strengths and honor the client’s struggle with the presenting problem; listen for culture in the client’s story; use more personalismo and less formalism--during the first session, clinician should initially emphasize formality; however for the ensuing sessions, the clinician should use personalismo. Including close physical proximity, handshaking, and self-disclosure by the clinician; the clinician should avoid insight-oriented and rational emotive therapy because insight-oriented therapy “blames” the client for his or her own problems, and rational emotive therapy is too argumentative; do not recommend that the client take actions against his or her cultural values, especially the values of machismo and marianismo; before the client leaves the first session provide him or her with recommendations or steps that can be taken to alleviate his presenting issue; acknowledge prejudice and racism, and where appropriate challenge any internalized oppression; create a culturally responsive therapy environment that will make the client feel welcome. Include pictures related to the client’s culture; consider using the Cultural Formulation Interview; be prepared to conduct culture-based assessment that includes information about gender socialization, religious and spiritual orientation, ethnic identity, and language preferences; understand the client’s worldview; become acquainted with factors that contribute to acculturation stress, and learn about family migration history; understand when it is appropriate to use language interpreters; know when it is appropriate or inappropriate to involve an indigenous healer.