Chapter 9: Separation/Individuation in a Cultural Context

Summary

In the past decade there has been an increased awareness regarding the importance of providing culturally competent counseling services. Professionals must therefore take into account a client's cultural background when formulating the nature of the client's difficulties and during the intervention process. This chapter provides an example of how to incorporate a cultural perspective in addressing the developmental stage of separation and identity development in the college student population. A short-term model of treatment is utilized in the case of a young adult Haitian-American woman.

Key Words:

• Multicultural competence
• Haitian-American
• short-term psychotherapy
• college counseling