Graduate School of Education

Department of Counselor Education

COUN 581 Multicultural Perspectives in Counseling Winter 2015
Instructor: Susan Sisko, PhDc LPC,
Office: N/A
Office hours: Call or e-mail to set an appointment
541 386 2337 EXT 2

Course CRN: 40871

Credits: 3
Location: ED 202
Wednesday
6:40P-9:20P

E-mail: ssisko@pdx.edu
Course Catalog Description COUN 581
Multicultural Perspectives in Counseling (3)
A study of the human, ecological and societal forces influencing the provision of counseling
services to culturally diverse students and other clients in educational and community settings.
Current issues, problems and trends will be examined. Increased competence in individual and
group counseling strategies and techniques will be emphasized, using didactic and experiential
approaches. Prerequisite: Coun 541.
Purpose of the Course: This course is designed to prepare counselors in training to work in a
diverse society. You will have the opportunity to examine your own cultural identity
development, your own relationship with power and privilege and how those may impact your
counseling practice. It is important to understand that this course is about you and your selfawareness. The course will examine the evolution of the multicultural movement in the
counseling profession, along with major issues and concerns. You will learn about multicultural
theory as it relates to counseling. This course will cover the issues and concerns of several
specific populations, including diverse racial groups, diversity in gender, ability status, sexual
identity, religion, age and other non-dominant populations.
Disability Access Information
It is the University's goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you require
accommodations (e.g. special seating, interpreter, note-taker, etc.), please inform me
immediately. Students with disabilities should register with the PSU Disability Resource Center
(503-725-4150) to document their need for accommodations and obtain support services. I will
work with you to arrange the supports you need in this class.

Graduate School of Education Conceptual Framework

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Winter 2015

Content Areas
Cultural Identity Development
Abelism
Adultism
Classism

Heterosexism
Ageism
Racism
Sexism

Professional Standards
Learning objectives are consistent with those outlined by CACREP Standards (2009).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Specifically, 2 A-F, for a graduate counseling program;

Upon successful completion of this course students will have had an opportunity:
To develop knowledge and an awareness of multicultural issues in the counseling profession;
To develop a greater examination and awareness of one's own values, beliefs, experiences, assumptions and
to understand the impact of each on the counseling process;
To provide an understanding of the cultural context of relationship, issues and trends in a multicultural and
diverse society;
To acquire knowledge and awareness of the characteristics, needs and issues of specific populations;
To become aware of the competencies required of a culturally skilled counselor;
To understand the counselors' role in social justice, advocacy, and the process of intentional and
unintentional discrimination
To demonstrate an understanding of the need to show respect when working with individuals from diverse
backgrounds (culture, gender difference, sexual identity, disability, age, socioeconomic background etc.)

CACREP Standards, 2009

2.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITYstudies that provide an

understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural society, including
all of the following:
a.
multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns
within and among diverse groups nationally and internationally;
b.
attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences, including
specific experiential learning activities designed to foster students
understanding of self and culturally diverse clients;
c.
theories of multicultural counseling, identity development, and social justice;
d.
individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with
and advocating for diverse populations, including multicultural competencies;
e.
counselors roles in developing cultural self-awareness, promoting cultural
social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, and other culturally supported

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f.

behaviors that promote optimal wellness and growth of the human spirit,
mind, or body; and
counselors roles in eliminating biases, prejudices, and processes of
Intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination.

Accreditation Manual for Masters Level Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs

CACREP Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Standards, 2009
G. Knowledge
a. Understands how living in a multicultural society affects clients seeking rehabilitation counseling
services.
b. Understands the implications of concepts such as internalized oppression and institutional racism, as well
as the historical and current political climate regarding immigration and socioeconomic status for people
with disabilities.
C. Understands the effects of discriminationsuch as handicapism, ableism, racism, sexismand power,
privilege, and oppression on ones own life and career and those of clients.
C.2 PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF DISABILITY
AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Each knowledge domain is followed by Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Each SLO is prefaced by the
phrase: As demonstrated by the ability to: by the phrase: As demonstrated by the ability to:
Knowledge domains:
C.2.1 Sociological dynamics related to self-advocacy, environmental influences, and attitude formation
C.2.1.a. identify and articulate an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental forces that may
present barriers to a consumers rehabilitation.
C.2.1.b. identify strategies to reduce attitudinal barriers affecting people with disabilities.
C.2.2 Psychological dynamics related to self-identity, growth, and adjustment
C.2.2.a. identify strategies for self-awareness and self-development that will promote coping and adjustment
to disability.
C.2.2.b. identify and demonstrate an understanding of stereotypical views toward individuals with a disability
and the negative effects of these views on successful completion of the rehabilitation outcomes.
C.2.2.c. explain adjustment stages and developmental issues that influence adjustment to disability.
C.2.3 Implications of cultural and individual diversity including cultural, disability, gender, sexual
orientation, and aging issues
C.2.3.a. provide rehabilitation counseling services in a manner that reflects an understanding of psychosocial
influences, cultural beliefs and values, and diversity issues that may affect the rehabilitation process.
C.2.3.b. identify the influences of cultural, gender, sexual orientation, aging, and disability differences and
integrate this knowledge into practice. 27 4/30/2012 fl
C.2.3.c. articulate an understanding of the role of ethnic/racial and other diversity characteristics such as
spirituality and religion, and socio-economic status in groups, family, and society.

Knowledge and Skill Outcomes, Standards, and Assessments

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Knowledge and Skill

Outcomes

GSE
Conceptual
Framework

Professional
Standard or
Program
Outcomes
2. C & D
G a, b, c

Assessment

Increase students awareness of

the therapeutic process.

1.1; 1.2; 2.2

Genogram assignment and

Photovoice assignment
Lecture & discussion

Increase students awareness of

research regarding predictors of
effective counseling.

2.1; 2.2; 4.1

2. A F
G a, b, c

Advocacy Assignment
Lecture & discussion

Increase students' sense of

professional identity as a
counselor and awareness of
ethical considerations.

2.2; 4.1

2. C F
G a, b, c

Genogram assignment,
Photovoice assignment and
Advocacy assignment
Lecture & Discussion

Increase students' awareness of

the impact of culture and
client/counselor characteristics
on the counseling process.

1.1; 1.2

2. C F
G a, b, c

Genogram assignment,
Photovoice assignment and
Advocacy assignment
Lecture & discussion

Methods of Instruction
The class is conducted in several ways, with lecture, projects, the use of media and most
importantly, in a discussion format. These preferences allow for student contribution, small
group work, and promote discourse with one another, which maintains a consistent focus on the
process, where personal experiences serve as legitimate sites of knowledge and provide a place
for consciousness raising and for students to increase personal reflection and self-awareness.
Because of this variety, class participation is a critical component of the course. All students are
expected to participate in class discussions (both in the large and the small groups), and activities
in a meaningful way. This means that students are expected to read the assigned materials, are
prepared to comment on the readings in class, display the ability to reflect on the issues raised in
class, respond frequently to questions raised in the class, and ask relevant questions in class.
Required Text:
Adams, Blumenfeld, Castaneda, Hackman, Peters, & Zuniga (2013). Readings for Diversity and
Social Justice, 3rd Edition. Routledge: New York.
Required Articles (found in Tk20):
Arredondo, P. et al (1996) Association for Multicultural Competency Division of the ACA,
AMCD Multicultural Competencies.
Clover, D. E. (2006). Out of the dark room: Participatory photography as a critical, imaginative,

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and public aesthetic practice of transformative education. Journal of Transformative

Education, 4(3), 275-290.
Hipolito-Delgado, C.P., Cook, J.M., Avrus, E.M., & Bonham, E. J. Developing counseling
students multicultural competence through the multicultural action project. Counselor
Education & Supervision. December 2011. Volume 50 pp 403-423.
McIntosh, P. (1988). White privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. A personal account of
coming to see correspondences through work in womens studies.
Toporak, R. L., Lewis, J. A., & Crethar, H. L. (2009). Promoting systemic change through the
ACA advocacy competencies. Journal of Counseling and Development, 87(3), 260-268
Class Schedule
Date
January
7

January
14
January
21
January
28
February
4
February 11
February 18

February 25
March
4

Topic/Reading
Welcome, Introduction to course.
Syllabus and assignments reviewed.
Genogram, Photovoice, and Advocacy Project
Text: Section 1: Introduction and 1-4
Conceptual Frameworks
Article: Clover
Conceptual Frameworks (cont)
Text: Section 1: 5-7
Article: McIntosh
Racism
Text: Section 2: Introduction and 8-15
Article: Hipolito-Delgado et al.
Racism
Text: Section 2: 16-24

Assignment Due

Cultural Genogram Due

Genogram small group
discussions
Photos due (1/16)
Photos due (1/23)

Photos due (1/30)

Classism
Text: Section 3: Introduction and 25-42

Photos due (2/6)

Religious Oppression
Text: Section 4: Introduction and 43-59
Sexism
Text: Section 5: Introduction and 60-76

Photos due (2/13)

Heterosexism
Text: Section 6: Introduction and 77-85
Abelism
Text Section 8: Introduction and 95-113

Photos due (2/20)

Photos due (2/27)

Photos due (3/6)
Advocacy Project Due

March
11

Ageism and Adultism

Text: Section 9: Introduction and 114-126

photos due (3/13)

March 18

Wrapping It Up!
Course evaluation

Photovoice small group

presentation
Photovoice paper due

Assignments:

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All assignments must conform to APA Guidelines for Writing 6th ed. (2009)
All assignments will be submitted electronically by 11:59P on the date due
Submit all assignments electronically using the following format in the subject line:
Yourlastname_firstname_assignmentname (eg Sisko_Susan_CulturalGenogram)
1. Cultural Genogram: As we know and will discuss the messages we receive about ourselves and
others often come from our family first. This is where we begin to develop our biases and assumptions
about others. This assignment will begin to connect you to your cultural worldview, your perception of
any privileges you may hold, and any biases you have (and we all have them).
a) You will begin this assignment by creating a genogram that goes back two generations. You will focus
your genogram only on cultural components of who you are such as race, age, religion, sexual identity,
ability, economic status etc. Feel free to be creative in this assignment. Please use some type of system (I
will give a genogram example to follow) to indicate patterns, messages etc.
b) The second part of assignment is to write a brief summary paper (1-2 pages). This paper, once your
genogram is complete, will provide you with an opportunity to reflect on the messages you may have
received, and how those messages have impacted you. What did you take away from those messages?
What is still with you? What have you rejected? What have you just discovered? This should come in
narrative form. *You will share your work in small groups. This will be submitted via e-mail to your
instructor and due January 14
2. Advocacy Project: One of the most critical components of multicultural counseling is being able to
engage with people who are in some way different than you. The purpose of this assignment is to allow
you the opportunity to get to know someone in the community who is different from you and from a nondominant group. Talk with them about their lives, and then what they believe counselors should know
about them and perhaps their group.
a) Part One You will identify a non-dominant population that you are either interested in learning more
about or likely to work with (or both, which would be ideal) and find someone in that group to interview.
This WILL NOT be a client or an individual who is vulnerable. This an idiographic qualitative process
in which the interview is simply learning more about the individual and their culture broadly. After you
have had some time to consider their responses and opinions, read either a journal article, book chapter
or popular work related to the individuals identity. Your (aim for about 30 minute) interview will be
audio taped and then transcribed (a verbatim of the interview). This can be time consuming process.
b) Part Two You will write a summary paper (1-2 pages) of your interview and some of the discoveries
from the interview, include reference to at least one scholarly source.
c) Part Three based on those discoveries you will develop an advocacy project (1-2 pages). An
example might be; If you interviewed a youth with physical disabilities living in rural Oregon you may
discover there are few services or resources specifically to support this population. Your project will be to
consider and propose what you would do to help bring awareness or develop resources for this
population in rural Oregon.
The interview transcription, summary paper and advocacy projects will be submitted via e-mail to your
instructor and are due March 4
3. Photovoice Activity: During this course you will be participating in a Photovoice experience. This
experience will allow you to express your cultural worldview and your perspective of the world through a
camera lens. This is a qualitative, action research technique.
a) Part One During this course you will take two and submit two photos per class session (not including
1st and last sessions = approximately 18 photos) of something that is a reflection of your culture,

Course number COUN 581

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multiculturalism or pluralistic trends including characteristics and concerns within and among diverse
groups, cultural understanding beliefs and acculturative experiences. You will add a reflective label /
caption to them submit them via e-mail to your instructor each Friday at 11:59P
c) Part Two At the end of the course you will write one larger paper (3-5 pages) on your experience
with Photovoice. You will consider what you learned about your cultural worldview, how it changed and
what it was like to do this assignment. This paper will require the use of scholarly article(s) on
multiculturalism. Submit via e-mail to your instructor AND to TK20.
d) Part Three At the end of the term you will present a creative and engaging presentation in a small
group that shows your cultural worldviews and influence due March 18
Course Grade: Course grades will be determined on a standard scale.
Grading scale: 94-100% (A); 90-93% (A-); 87-89% (B+); 84-86% (B); 80-83% (B-); etc.
The assignments values considered in the final grades are as follows:
Cultural Genogram
10%
Photovoice
40%
Interview/Advocacy Project 40%
Group Discussions 10%

Grading: Grading rubrics in TK20

Course and University Policies
Late Assignments
Attendance and
Tardiness

Classroom
Demeanor and
Courtesy

Incompletes

Late assignments will be penalized 5 points per day unless arrangements

for late assignment(s) have been previously arrange with instructor
Students are expected to attend all classes unless extenuating
circumstances exist. All absences will be explained to the instructor of the
course and unexcused absences (as determined by the instructor) may
result in full final grade level reductions at the discretion of the instructor
of the course. Students may be required to do additional assignments in
case of absences.
This course is taught in a manner that provides a safe, welcoming, and
inclusive classroom environment for students of all races, ethnicities,
sexual identities, genders, ages, religions, economic classes, and ability
statuses. As such, students will be encouraged and challenged to use
language, communication, and presentation strategies that are respectful,
and culturally appropriate.
Because students may not share the same opinions on different topics on
this class, it is important that we remember to respect the opinions and
ideas of others. We expect all students to show respect and courtesy for all
members of this class at all times. Refer to the Student Conduct Code:
http://www.pdx.edu/sites/www.pdx.edu.education/files/gse_handbook_stu
dent_conduct.pdf
A student may be assigned an Incomplete (I) grade by an instructor when
all of the following four criteria apply:
1. Quality of work in the course up to that point is C level or above.
2. Essential work remains to be done. Essential means that a grade for

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Academic
Integrity

the course could not be assigned without dropping one or more grade
points below the level achievable upon completion of the work.
3. Reasons for assigning an Incomplete must be acceptable to the
instructor. The student does not have the right to demand an
Incomplete. The circumstances must be unforeseen or be beyond the
control of the student. An instructor is entitled to insist on appropriate
medical or other documentation. In no case is an "Incomplete" grade
given to enable a student to do additional work in order to raise a
deficient grade.
4. A written agreement, signed by both the student and the instructor,
should include a statement of the remaining work to be done to remove
the Incomplete grade, and the date, not to exceed one year from the end
of the term of enrollment for the course, by which work must be
completed in order to earn credit toward the degree. The instructor may
specify the highest grade which may be awarded upon completion; the
grade awarded should not exceed the level of achievement attained
during the regular course period.
http://www.pdx.edu/ogs/incomplete-grades
The following constitutes conduct as proscribed by Portland State
University for which a student or student organization or group is subject
to disciplinary action:
(1) Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration,
disciplinary procedures or other University activities, including the
University's public service functions or other authorized activities on
University-owned or -controlled property, or any other location where
teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other
University activities take place.
(2) All forms of academic dishonesty, cheating, and fraud, including but
not limited to: (a) plagiarism, (b) the buying and selling of course
assignments and research papers, (c) performing academic assignments
(including tests and examinations) for other persons, (d) unauthorized
disclosure and receipt of academic information and (e) falsification of
research data.
PSU Student Conduct Code # 577-031-0136

Returning
student work

Due to FERPA guidelines, student work must be directly returned to each

student (either face to face or via electronic or snail mail). If students
want a hard copy of their work returned, they should provide a stamped,
self-addressed envelope large enough to hold the assignments to be
returned.

Student Health
Insurance

PSU provides students taking 5 or more in load, non self-support credits

per term (1 credit for international students) with the mandatory
PSU/Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan.

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See http://www.pdx.edu/shac/insuranceplan for more information.

Students may waive the insurance but must provide proof of enrollment in
a comparable insurance policy offered through another company. Students
only need to waive out once per academic year.
All eligible students will be charged for insurance unless they waive
out by the waiver application deadline, the second Sunday of each
term.
See http://www.pdx.edu/shac/insurancewaiver for specific information and
directions about waiving the health insurance, and a link to the online
waiver application.
Contact insurancehelp@pdx.edu for more information.

Safe Campus
Module

LGBTQ
Resolution
Statement
Counselor Ed
Policy Statement

Portland State University desires to create a safe campus for our students.
As part of that mission, PSU requires all students to take the learning
module entitled Creating a Safe Campus: Preventing Gender
Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual
Assault. See http://www.pdx.edu/sexual-assault/safe-campus-module
As part of its commitment to social justice and human dignity, the
Curriculum and Instruction Department demonstrates LGBTQ advocacy
through inclusive policies and practices that are both intentionally
proactive and strategically responsive.
Department Policy Statement: The counseling profession requires a
high level of personal integrity, self-awareness, and personal maturity.
Demonstrating professionalism in classroom behavior, as well as being
present and engaged in classroom activities, is expected at all times as
a graduate student in Counselor Education.
Students are expected to attend all class meetings; however, one
absence is not considered excessive. Students whose beliefs, religious
practices, or lifestyles may conflict with class attendance from time to
time should discuss such issues with the course instructor at the
beginning of the term. If possible, arrangements should be made to
make up missed attendance-related assignments and experiences. It is

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up to the student and instructor to negotiate a satisfactory solution with

respect to absences.
Students and faculty are expected to maintain an atmosphere in which
controversial issues, germane to the subject matter, can be examined
and discussed. In exercising this freedom of expression, faculty and
students are expected to exercise appropriate restraint and show respect
for the opinion of others.
The Counselor Education program seeks to balance providing care and
support, high expectations, and opportunities for participation in
meaningful activities. All students are expected to participate in
constructing a respectful learning environment in the classroom. Arrive
to class on time, stay for the entire class, come back from breaks on
time, turn off cell phones, etc. Be mindful of what might detract from
the learning experience of students and faculty alike (e.g., talking to
fellow students during lecture).
All students in the program must demonstrate behavior that is
consistent with the Ethical Standards put forth in 2005 by the American
Counseling Association:
http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home/CT2.as
px
Failuretodosocanresultinterminationfromtheprogram.

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