nor hartini kaharudin

Assalamualaikum w.r.h. w.b.t
For this subject of matter, I am strongly disagree with this statement. As a counselor, especially trainee counselors, they should be well-rounded person in order to meet all types of people in terms of socio-economic status (SES), races, gender and religion. As a trainee, they will face the hardness of being counselor if they are not exposed to the variety types of groups of people.
Along the process of learning, all the trainee counselors are learnt about skills and competencies, even it has its own subject in order to enhance the skills and competencies. So, for me, it is not wrong and it is not wastage of time if they are exposed and taught cross-cultural. All aspects must be balanced.
The fact is, not all the trainee counselors will sent to their favorite school. Sometimes, they will be occupied in school which is totally cultured different. The differences of culture can be occured among races, S.E.S, gender and religion.
In counseling session, counselor must know his client well and also must know the background of his client. From there, counselor can recognize the reason client act like such way. The other importance is counselor will not misunderstand the way client’s behaved and communicated. In some situation, the counselor feels the clients’ behave rude and disrespect to him, but for client it is normal. To know the differences of religion also one of the important aspects for the counselor to stress on because every religion has its own belief and ritual. The counselor should respect what his clients’ belief so that the client will do the same thing.