Operationalization of the Multicultural Counseling Competencies.

CROSS-cultural counseling; MULTICULTURALISM; ETHNICITY; COUNSELORS; CULTURE; IDENTITY (Philosophical concept)

The article focuses on the operationalization of the multicultural counseling competencies and presents a list of competencies. Multicultural counseling refers to preparation and practices that integrate multicultural and culture-specific awareness, knowledge and skills into counseling interactions. Multiculturalism focuses on ethnicity, race and culture. Diversity refers to other individual, people differences including age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical ability or disability and other characteristics by which someone may prefer to self-define. The dimensions of personal identity model can be used as a paradigm to see people more completely, as well as an educational tool. The A dimension is a listing of characteristics that serve as a profile of all people. The C dimension indicates that all individuals must be seen. The emphasis throughout the competencies is on individual change. The multicultural counseling competencies and accompanying explanatory statements clarify and define the three domains of awareness, knowledge and skills.