Toward a New Paradigm for Multicultural Counseling

Caste-based Oppression, Trauma and Collective Victimhood in Erstwhile South India: The Collective Therapeutic Potential of Theyyam

The decades of collective victimhood and trauma that the oppressed lower caste members in the southern state of India (Kerala) suffered in silence were less known to the world until the socio-religious reform movements offered a space for their collective expression of agitation and unrest. With no socially sanctioned channels to express their injustice and pain, the folk ritual of Theyyam often became the alternative for a cathartic release of transgenerational and collective victimhood and trauma long endured by people belonging to these communities. A common theme of Theyyam discussed in literature is the symbolic meaning of ‘empowerment’, ‘dissent’ and ‘protest’ that Theyyam takes on as the performer embodies a chosen deity. The ritual thereby becomes a temporary outlet for the collective rage, anger and resentment endured by people of the oppressed communities over the years. These insights have implied the healing potential of Theyyam as it offers a safe outlet for repressed trauma reactions for individuals as well as for the community, collectively. However, what is relevant to this discussion is the mechanism by which healing processes are activated in Theyyam. This article makes an effort in this direction—the focus is on understanding Theyyam as a psycho-cultural phenomenon and the collective therapeutic dynamics that it offers.

Endorsement of Professional Multicultural Rehabilitation Competencies and Standards

This article proposes specific multicultural rehabilitation competencies and standards that define a professional culturally competent rehabilitation counselor. Cross-cultural skills are based on three characteristics across three dimensions: beliefs and attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Explanatory statements operationalizing each competency area are offered. In reinforcing the need and rationale for a multicultural perspective in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation education programs, the authors urgently appeal to the leadership of professional rehabilitation organizations to infuse multiculturalism throughout their organizations. Specific recommendations toward endorsement of the proposed competencies are set forth.

Toward a Multicultural Positive Psychology:

The growing field of positive psychology is encouraging advances in the scientific research of developmental strengths and virtues like forgiveness. However, multicultural and indigenous psychology perspectives can raise valuable questions about positive psychology and the relationship between cultural particularity and virtues like forgiveness. In this article, the authors consider the meaning of virtue in psychology and then focus on the culturally embedded nature of forgiveness as a virtue. They illustrate the value of an indigenous psychology approach by describing some of the dynamics related to conflict resolution and forgiveness in traditional Hmong culture. They then consider ways forgiveness research and intervention might need to be contextualized with Hmong Americans.

The violent matrix: a study of structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal violence among a sample of poor women

One goal of this paper is to present an integrated tripartite model of violence, with a focus on structural violence within an oppression paradigm. Using qualitative and quantitative data from 27 women (70% African American and 30% European American) who participated in a national substance abuse treatment demonstration program, we describe a model of violence in which structural violence is presented within a transactional relationship with interpersonal, and intrapersonal violence. We suggest that the effects of structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal violence are magnified when race and poverty are considered. The second goal of the paper is to present a preliminary test of the new model of violence. Results indicated that different levels and types of violence are interrelated. Implications of these findings for empowering solutions are suggested.