Counseling Taiwan Chinese in America: Training Issues for Counselors

✍ Scribed by GERI MILLER; JULIA YANG; M. CHEN

• Publisher: American Counseling Association
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 823 KB
• Volume: 37
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0011-0035
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6978.1997.tb00528.x

✦ Synopsis

This article examines cultural influences on Taiwan Chinese in America who seek counseling. Typical counseling struggles, effecttve counseling strategies and theoretical approaches, and training implications are addressed.

Although Taiwan is a blend of cultural influences due to being ruled by different countries (Denmark, Spain, Japan, China), Mainland China has had both the longest and strongest influence on Taiwanese culture. The 1990 census reports that there are 73,778 Taiwanese individuals in America (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990). The number of Taiwan Chinese in America is not separately calculated. Although numerical presentation of this group is rather small, like other cultural groups, the Taiwan Chinese individuals in America deserve culturally sensitive and appropriate counseling services. Due to differences between Asian and Western cultures Woy, 1992). counselors working with Taiwan Chinese in America need to understand if and how three core aspects of Chinese culture (Confucianism, agriculture, family) have been integrated into their clients' lives. A brief review of these three cultural aspects will be followed by a discussion of barriers Taiwan Chinese individuals in America may experience when seeking counseling, typical struggles they have in counseling, effective counseling strategies and theoretical approaches, and training components that sensitize counselors to work with this population.