Definition of the word worldview can vary greatly, ranges from “we are all what we think” which has been inspired by Buddha, to a more current view being that it is a set of assumptions and beliefs that have an all-powerful effect , both on cognition and behavior. In brief, worldview influences and impacts the way a person view their surroundings, their lives as well as other people in their environment (Sue & Sue, 2003).
Culture is only a single word that besets a plethora of categories which can influence a person’s thoughts, beliefs, actions and morals. Enclosing a myriad of life experiences, family values and lessons into a single word is quite a challenge. I am a product of Italian American culture. I have grown up in Florida, and that is a diverse area which makes my personal culture contain numerous influences. Both my paternal and maternal factions of my family are pure Italian Americans. There is not much known about my great-grandparents, but they are believed to be peasants who migrated from Sicily into United States in the 1800’s.
Traditions, influenced by beliefs, rituals and values are passed down or inherited by one generation to another (Inglehart & Baker, 2000). Many Italian Americans try to carry on traditions and cultures that their grandparents and parents had. In Italy, all families had farms in which they grew their fruits and vegetables. One of the worthwhile traditions that have been passed down my family remains the great family-centered culture, sumptuous cuisines and Christmas traditions. As we all know, the family rests at the heart of any Italian family. Growing up as a united family we have always been close and lived close to each other. For instance, most of my father’s siblings live around the neighborhood. I have lived to know and play with my cousins since childhood. Every Sunday is traditionally a family day. All of the extended family members take turns hosting lunch or dinner in their respective homes. It has made our family ties deep rooted and very strong. We celebrate achievements and share problems among each other.
Cuisine is another major tradition that has been passed down our family. As we all know, most American dishes have a little bit of Italian influence. Not only are the female in my extended family is a great cook but the males also gives them a competitive edge. For instance, pizza is one of the exotic and unusual foods that I have grown up eating. Pasta and meatballs are a staple food that is evident in many Italian-American tables.
Religious traditions are one of the most prominent aspects in the paternal side of my family. My whole families from my grandmother down the generation are practicing staunch Catholics. We all attend church on Sundays and mark all holy holidays. Spiritual traditions such as St. Josephs day has been celebrated in my family since the time of my forefathers. Growing up, St. Josephs was one of my most favorite spiritual holidays. St. Josephs is celebrated on the 19th of March every year. It is believed that St. Joseph answered the prayers of the people by ending one of Sicily’s legendary droughts. It is the day holds a very special meaning to my family as we say our novenas and believe all we have asked for has been heard and answered. The day is spent eating and visiting relatives around the neighborhood, and putting wreaths of flowers and candles on some selected altars.
One of the traditions that have existed over the generations is conservation and environmental responsibility. My grandparents, both paternal and maternal grew up in the era of the great depression. During this period, the resources were limited and so ingenuity was necessary. Repurposing household items, stitching own garments and personal gardens were very common in my youth. My mother made baby food, as well as the whole family food from the producers in our garden instead of buying from a store.
While the need to skimp and be resourceful is not something to celebrate over as the economy has improved and refined modern technology, this tradition of respecting the environment through implementation of the notable three R’s (recycle, reduce and reuse), composting, buying of local items and do-it-yourself practices where applicable, is what has led and helped me grow me through the years.
Some of the traditions and cultural aspects within my family setting elicit feelings of pride while others bring forth a sense of shame. While we are a very open and close family, which accept various preferences both outside and within the family, there are some that carryover prejudices that are still present within the members of the older generation. An acceptance and inclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) within my family setup is one I am very proud of admitting. Growing up in a family with a gay cousin made it look normal until I realized that most people in the society are not as accommodating as my family.
While at the same time there is support for this special group of persons within my family, there still exist cultural stereotypes especially among the older generation. Though the assumption of abnormality in matters regarding the lesbian, gay, bisexual and gay community does not exist in my family, but there is still use of politically incorrect and outdated language that can be offending is still present. Such instances when people are identified as ‘oriental’ instead of identifying them through their nationalities as Chinese, Korean or Asian) is a very common occurrence among my family members of the older generation. It runs even through their friends who suggest a possible cohort effort. It is one tradition I am ashamed of.
Growing up, all the members of my extended have always lived close to each other as possible. We have lived with fellow Italian Americans in small neighborhoods known as ‘little Italy.’ In a way, living together as a community has been a curse in disguise. This tradition of togetherness has brought out discrimination and stereotyping from the host community. A persistent stereotyping has linked this togetherness to mafia. It has continued to be perpetuated through films such as sopranos and the Godfather. Most people believe that all Italian-Americans living together are mafias, violent and drug dealers. A particular incidence is vivid in my mind when the family of two of my uncles and ours as well were approached by a crowd and almost beaten up because the host community had observed our activities for a long time and thought we were associated to the mafia community. Living under the watchful eye of the community where all your moves are tracked and questioned suspicious is oppressing and depressing.
Worldviews are in most cases unique to every individual and can unfold or change over time, can be influenced by certain experiences or shaped by life lessons (Sue & Sue, 2003). My personal worldviews differ greatly from some of the beliefs that are held by my family, which most of the times has brought fights and created rifts between us. However, goals, desires, firmly held beliefs, certain stuff praised in the Western culture sometimes seem wrong and foreign to a collectivist non-western worldview.
While at the same time bearing in mind the difference both in a society as a whole and within my family, their worldviews can help me in my career life as well as personal life. My worldview as it applies to counseling is greatly influenced by my personal experiences and through learning about various techniques and approaches, in addition establishing a multicultural competency.
Within the capacity of practice, all counselors at one time or another are bound to relate with clients with different worldviews from them. Learning about the rare and unique differences within an individual level and within a culture is indispensable for competent therapeutic intervention. My personal approach and view to counseling is a kind of straight forward method. It is more or same similar to solution-focused therapy that essentially highlights on a person’s personal responsibility and accountability of his actions
While my counseling application and personal worldview may work on some people, it can be a complete opposite on others. In counseling, being cognizant of possible barriers is the first stride in the right direction when it comes to addressing the possible challenges that can proceed from sessions. When counseling clients from different ethnicity such problems like language, difference in culture and beliefs and disparate socioeconomic status which might make a client feel worlds apart from his counselor.
According to Sue, Arredondo and McDavis (1992), a counselor can overcome such barriers if he becomes aware of his values, assumptions and biases. Being aware of your values beliefs, biases and assumptions will give you a clear path on how to handle the client without involving your personal issues. Realizing personal limitations and being comfortable with a client’s cultural, ethnic, racial and belief differences.
As a counselor, you must also understand the worldview and cultural difference of the client. Ethically, we have a responsibility and duty to respect every client’s worldview. As counselors, we are all taught to work within a client’s worldview while at the same time adhere to values of social justice. The counselor should be able to contrast his beliefs with that of his client in a non-judgmental fashion. We should also be aware of stereotypes as well as preconceived notions about the different ways of ethnic minority and racial groups (Sue, Arredondo and McDavis, 1992)
As counselors, we should not forget to develop appropriate intervention techniques and strategies in counseling clients who have disparate ethnicity, socioeconomic status or gender (Sue, Arredondo and McDavis, 1992). It can be done by respecting a client’s spiritual or religious beliefs and values, respecting the indigenous helping networks and practices as well as knowing the value of bilingualism.
References
Sue, D. W., Sue, D., & Sue, D. W. (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice. New York: J. Wiley.
Sue, D. W., Arredondo, P., & McDavis, R. J. (1992). Multicultural counseling competencies and standards: A call to the profession. Journal of Counseling & Development, 70(4), 477-486.
Inglehart, R., & Baker, W. E. (2000). Modernization, cultural change, and the persistence of traditional values. American sociological review, 19-51.
