1st Position-Sheril Aida Sulainan, 0812752

There is an opposite idea of teaching cross-cultural counseling to trainee counselors. It is about whether to teach them or not but to retain equipping and enhancing the skills and competencies of trainee counselors in order to produce super counselor. This shows that each side has its own rationales after experiences and thinking process.

If we put ourselves to the situation and way of thinking of those who oppose to teach cross-cultural counseling, we can find that there will be no ample time for trainees to discover the real essences of other cultures which are very various all over the world and lots of belief, tradition, perception and so on. Even though they learn this subject, there is no way for them to really get to understand, accept and digest the totally different and super diversities cultures in this world even Malaysia itself. Let say that we teach this subject, will this subject being able to push the students to practice this subject? For instance, by mingling around with other races? What are the guarantees to practically instill in their heart to accept the contradictory belief in order to apply it as non trainee counselor anymore one day?

In Malaysia itself, the issue of counseling that consists of counselor and counselee with the same race is already occurs. In Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat of Malaysia, they practice counseling between the same race of counselor and counselee. Isn’t it looks like they don’t believe in multicultural counseling? Obviously, the client itself normally willingly prefers the counselor from his or her own race. If there is foreigner student study counseling in a country, he or she also will feel fonder to contribute in their own country.

The opposition also see that culture is not the barrier since the vital root of counseling effectiveness is when we already have the elements of unconditional positive regards, empathy, caring, genuineness plus marvelous communication skills, ethics and responsibility. These will make counselee feeling accepted, understood and respected. No good relationship between counselor and counselee without the above elements stated even though the counselor know other cultures.

The side of encouraging teaching this subject rationalized base on the preparation for the counselors in order to encounter any culture issues that may defect counseling process. The knowledge of other culture will be the supporter of skills and competencies of counselor. In addition, they will never being shocked to hear their client view or belief system. When there is no shock, there will be no judgmental and there, the unconditional positive regards will come. So, this subject accelerate counselor to really go deeper in reasoning why their client is like this and like that. Not accepting their client without basic knowledge of their culture reasons because exploration blindly will lead to ingenuity.

Last but not least, we also cannot sure that every race will have adequate counselor to entertain the demand of same race counseling process. Thus every counselor must have multifunction to counseling diverse races. This subject will broaden the counselor mind, general knowledge and worldview. Then by this, they can refresh their competencies with more confidence. We don’t want to produce a rigid and non dynamic counselor. We want them to help people, human not helping own tribe. We also want to make a clear mental picture for the counselor so that there will be less big mistake when it comes to counsel client from different culture. Even Malays in Malaysian are having much different culture. Even though our client’s physical attributes are similar to us, does not mean his way of thinking like ours. Maybe she or he is an American minded. Who knows?

In a nutshell, I disagree with the statement of this first position as gaining more knowledge and having extra knowledge and skill is much more relevant and convincing to produce a competent counselor. Like Rasulullah pbuh said, ‘Knowledge is Imam while amal is makmum’. To have a good practice in counseling other races, we start with the knowledge first. Rasulullah pbuh also said to preach another people, we must adjust our approach to be suited to their level. No loss by studying this subject in facts it emphasizes counselors to take note on the existence of the diversity of human being to be counseled.