Cultural Competence and Professional Training Identify the training, workshop, seminar, or conference on diversity or cultural competence you selected for the Unit 9 study (name of association, title of training, dates of training, location, cost, et cetera). Describe to your course room colleagues why this would be a worthwhile training to attend (learning opportunities, CEU credits available, networking opportunities, speakers, et cetera). Relate your comments to Sue (2010), Chapters 10–12. Eleven Bob’s Story The Good Christian Son In Bob’s story, we read about how he views himself in terms of his cultural identity and the shifts that occurred in his religious life as a result of family relationships, his move from the South to the Northeast, and his rethinking about his role in society and in his family. He also talks about what influenced his first career choice as a minister in an Evangelical Christian church and what accounted for the choice of his second career as a teacher. As you read, pay attention to his shifts in personality traits and in his understanding of his religious affiliation and other shifts in his cultural identity. Bob’s Story I must admit from the outset that I was somewhat surprised that someone would even be interested in my story. What I mean by that is, when it comes to culture, I have often thought that my life was somewhat void of it. I’m just another White guy with a job, two children, and a wife. I have nothing special to offer in the way of a story, right? Upon further reflection however, I have come to realize that one’s cultural heritage is not about being impressive or unique. Rather, each person’s history is more significant than he or she could ever imagine—at least to them and those with whom they come in contact. So what follows is a sort of snapshot of my life from a cultural and especially spiritual identity standpoint. I was born in south central Kentucky in a town that had no hospital. My mother and father had to travel several miles to access the needed medical assistance for my birth. This was not seen as a hardship or even an inconvenience, just how things were. My mother was the daughter of a farmer and a homemaker. She was the youngest of 10 children, 7 daughters and 3 sons. My father was from another town in Kentucky. His father was a professional in the trucking industry, and his mother taught music. My father met my mother while he was a college student in music education. He was also the music director of the small rural Southern Baptist church where my mother was a member. My mother’s ethnic background was Scottish and Welsh. Her maiden name reflects that heritage. My father’s ethnic heritage was Dutch and English. I cannot say that these historical roots made any significant contributions to my cultural heritage. Both of my parents seemed to prefer the notion that they were “American,” and that was all that was necessary to them. In the region of Kentucky I grew up in, people.

1. Cultural Competence and Professional Training
Identify the training, workshop, seminar, or conference on
diversity or cultural competence you selected for the Unit 9
study (name of association, title of training, dates of training,
location, cost, et cetera).
Describe to your course room colleagues why this would be a
worthwhile training to attend (learning opportunities, CEU
credits available, networking opportunities, speakers, et cetera).
Relate your comments to Sue (2010), Chapters 10–12.
Eleven
Bob’s Story
The Good Christian Son
In Bob’s story, we read about how he views himself in terms of
his cultural identity and the shifts that occurred in his religious
life as a result of family relationships, his move from the South
to the Northeast, and his rethinking about his role in society and
in his family. He also talks about what influenced his first
career choice as a minister in an Evangelical Christian church
and what accounted for the choice of his second career as a
teacher. As you read, pay attention to his shifts in personality
traits and in his understanding of his religious affiliation and
other shifts in his cultural identity.
Bob’s Story

2. I must admit from the outset that I was somewhat surprised that
someone would even be interested in my story. What I mean by
that is, when it comes to culture, I have often thought that my
life was somewhat void of it. I’m just another White guy with a
job, two children, and a wife. I have nothing special to offer in
the way of a story, right? Upon further reflection however, I
have come to realize that one’s cultural heritage is not about
being impressive or unique. Rather, each person’s history is
more significant than he or she could ever imagine—at least to
them and those with whom they come in contact. So what
follows is a sort of snapshot of my life from a cultural and
especially spiritual identity standpoint.
I was born in south central Kentucky in a town that had no
hospital. My mother and father had to travel several miles to
access the needed medical assistance for my birth. This was not
seen as a hardship or even an inconvenience, just how things
were. My mother was the daughter of a farmer and a
homemaker. She was the youngest of 10 children, 7 daughters
and 3 sons. My father was from another town in Kentucky. His
father was a professional in the trucking industry, and his
mother taught music. My father met my mother while he was a
college student in music education. He was also the music
director of the small rural Southern Baptist church where my
mother was a member. My mother’s ethnic background was
Scottish and Welsh. Her maiden name reflects that heritage. My
father’s ethnic heritage was Dutch and English. I cannot say
that these historical roots made any significant contributions to
my cultural heritage. Both of my parents seemed to prefer the
notion that they were “American,” and that was all that was
necessary to them.
In the region of Kentucky I grew up in, people tended to be
either Baptist or “unbelievers.” Being an unbeliever meant you
did not believe the standard tenets of the Christian faith
regarding Jesus, but, most important, being an unbeliever meant

3. you were going to hell. This was not a happy proposition—
eternal burning in a lake of fire, gnashing of teeth, and so on.
The Evangelical Christian faith was a significant part of both of
my parents’ lives from early on. It would prove to be a powerful
influence in mine as well. I learned as a child that one’s faith
was an integral part of decision making. The question of what
God’s will was in a given situation or relationship was a
constant quest: “Does God want my father to take that job?”
“Would God be pleased if I were to date this girl?” On and on it
went. As a young person, I couldn’t help but wonder if God was
really all that interested in such miniscule items in light of
world hunger, war, and other such global challenges. However,
the Bible speaks of God knowing the “number of hairs on your
head.” In light of that, my older brother and I were taught that
God was therefore interested in every detail of our lives. I had
friends who literally prayed for good parking places!
Interwoven into this Christian heritage was the fact that I was a
White male Southerner. I have extended family members who
still characterize the Civil War as “the war of Northern
aggression.” There was significant pride in being born and
raised south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I was taught that those to
the north were not to be automatically trusted because of how
they had treated us throughout history.
Exposure to persons of color was nearly nonexistent in my
upbringing. My family was White. My community was White.
My church family was White. In fact, my house was White!
Appreciation for cultural diversity was not an intentional part of
my upbringing. It came through the back door, so to speak. It
came through the arts. I remember growing up in my White
neighborhoods and being the only person who knew of Black
musicians like Sammy Davis, Jr., Ray Charles, and Nat King
Cole. I also knew of Latino musicians, such as Chita Rivera and
Tito Puente. My parents listened to music from different parts
of the world, and, as a result, I grew to appreciate sounds that

4. most of my friends did not even know existed. I believe that this
exposure made me aware of a world beyond the South. My
parents’ appreciation for these artists taught me that beauty and
talent are to be appreciated, regardless of its origin.
My father eventually left church music and began to teach
music in the public schools. My parents listened to music and
loved to watch old movies. I was exposed to various art forms at
a very early age and began to gain an appreciation for music
from around the world. Along with that, my parents had a
commitment to treating all people with respect, regardless of
skin color. This view was unique compared with the view of
many of my friends. However, there was a merging of my ethnic
and regional identity and my spiritual formation that is still
difficult for me to distinguish at times. The world around me
was seen through so many filters that it became difficult to
determine the legitimacy of almost any perspective I adopted.
Was I seeing things in a particular way because I was told to?
Was I seeing things that way because I wanted to please those
around me? These were questions that were nearly impossible
for me to answer.
Interestingly, it was evident to me that while my older brother
completely embraced his identity as a Southerner, he did not
seem to embrace this quest for God’s will. He was a person of
fierce independence—much to my parents’ chagrin. He engaged
in all the significant no-no’s that we were taught to avoid—
smoking, drinking, dancing, card playing, and enjoying the
opposite sex. I was not nearly as interested in what I was
missing by not doing those things as I was concerned about the
pain that my parents were experiencing as they began to
conceptualize themselves as failures as parents. My mother and
father could not understand why my brother, who is 4 years my
senior, would not respond to their directions or change his
behaviors in light of their sometimes harsh punishments. In fact,
their hearts were breaking. I knew I could not do the same thing

5. to them.
Thus, I decided to become the ideal Southern Christian son. I
did well in school, attended church regularly, was involved in
extracurricular activities such as sports and drama club, and
held down a part-time job. I graduated as president of my senior
class and was motivated to attend a southern state university my
father and grandfather had attended.
During college I began to seriously consider my career options.
What did God want me to do with my life? What would please
my parents? Later I came to learn that these questions would be
almost identical in my conceptualization of them. Ministry
seemed like the most obvious choice for a career. God would be
happy. My parents would be happy. My brother’s deficits would
be compensated for. My happiness was not a concern aside from
how well I was meeting the expectations of others. As I look
back at this time in my life, I can see where I was being driven
by a culture of pleasing God and family, everyone but oneself.
This self-deprivation was seen as humble and servantlike.
In point, it became clear to me upon reflection that many of my
White Christian peers in the South experienced the same lack of
personal agency and integrity. I might have disliked a person or
disagreed with him or her, but that person would likely never
know it. I was so consumed with being “nice” that how I really
felt or what I really thought were altogether lost and
unimportant. This inevitably led to forming inauthentic
relationships. I did not feel the freedom or have the courage to
interact with another honestly if there was a chance that the
person might not like me or might not approve of me. Thus, my
relationships could not be built honestly. It wasn’t until later
that I began to realize that it was only when my identity was
based on authentic thoughts and feelings that relationships
could be meaningful and fulfilling. My mother’s death was a
significant factor in this shift of character.

6. It was too risky to not be seen as the good Christian son, so I
never thought much about what I wanted. What if what I wanted
wasn’t Christian or, better yet, wasn’t perceived as Christian to
those to whom I relinquished my locus of control?
I majored in religious studies in college and after graduation
went on to seminary where I received a Master of Divinity. I
knew during my studies that the field was not for me, but what
could I do? Could I turn my back on God, my family? The time
of study, while interesting, became uninteresting to me. I began
to feel like I was the wrong person in the wrong place because
the priorities of the people around me were not similar to my
own. Although I might agree that the issues were important,
they were not issues for which I wanted to dedicate my life,
personally and professionally. However, because of my
continuing fears of what others might think, I completed the
degree and worked in congregational ministry for 12 years. I
was never happy, but I was always faithful, or so I thought. The
most pivotal moment that served as an important challenge to
my culture of pleasing others and Christian fundamentalism
came at the untimely death of my mother. She was 60 years old
and had suffered a major heart attack. I was serving at a church
90 miles from home in a big city in Kentucky when I was called
about her hospitalization. During the drive, I spent substantial
time praying and asking God to heal my mother. I was confident
that one like me who had sacrificed so much for God and family
could expect that God would answer my prayers. After all,
hadn’t I completed a degree that I disliked and been involved in
work that I hated for some time now? It was all for Him. He
owed me!
My mother was not healed, and her death shook me. It shook my
understanding of faith as well as family. I had never realized
how matriarchal my family was. My mother led the family, and
she often did so through guilt and manipulation. Who would

7. lead us now? Who would dole out affirmation in accordance to
our good behavior? Where would our sense of self-esteem come
from now?
I became angry. I was angry at God, and I was angry at the
church. My ministry at the church began to dissolve, and my
wife and I moved to New York City for her to pursue graduate
education. I worked for a while in computer and book sales. I
was lost.
My name was given to a church in the New York area, and I
took the position of minister because I believed I didn’t know
how to do anything else. Besides, shouldn’t that put me back in
God’s good graces? Even though the church was made up of
White, Christian, transplanted Southerners, things were not
what I hoped they would be. The parishioners at this church
were people like those with whom I had grown up. They were in
the New York area because of career or educational
opportunities, but they had not allowed themselves to become
integrated into the culturally diverse surroundings that New
York offered. They were seeking others like themselves with
whom to worship. Within a year of starting at the church, I was
unhappy again and found myself looking at classified ads. My
wife encouraged me to seek counseling during the time, and I
did so. I was forced to ask questions that challenged my
understanding of God and how people make decisions. I was
forced to answer a question that I had never allowed myself to
ask before: “What did I want?” In my cultural understanding of
spiritual self, this question had never been an important one.
What I wanted was totally unimportant. In fact, it was
something to be ignored or changed to please God and family.
I came to learn that what I loved about ministry was service, but
what I struggled with was church hierarchy and spiritual
oppression. The gifts that I had been given—effective
communication and the desire to help others—transitioned well

8. into teaching. I was able to do something meaningful, but I was
free within it. This was new territory for me. I must admit that I
still struggle with pleasing others, but I have come to learn that
such influences are much more about my own history than with
a God who is looking for ways to judge me.
Being a person of faith still serves me. Although the negative
aspects motivated significant pain and dissonance, positive
aspects of my faith, such as hope, justice, and service to others,
have become quite valuable to me. These components of my
faith help foster appreciation for what I have and a sense of
mission to help those in need. Although this service is no longer
motivated by my desire to prove my worth or please others, it is
still a vitally important piece of who I am.
Further, my Southern heritage is also valuable. I was raised
with very few luxuries and had to work very hard on family
farms. The work ethic I was given has challenged me to try to
earn the things I receive and not feel entitled to them.
Also, the commitment to family that I was taught, albeit
somewhat unhealthy at times, has been tempered through the
years with clear boundaries and emotional separation, which
enables me to be a more effective husband and father. I have
taken my family down home to Kentucky on several occasions
and have shown my sons the little house where I was raised in a
small town in Kentucky. They have seen the Confederate flags,
and I have been able to teach them about the dangers of hatred
and prejudice. They have seen my mother’s grave, and I have
been able to teach them about love and commitment to family.
I believe that I am nowhere near the same person culturally as a
resident in New York City that I was as a child in a small town
in Kentucky. Yet my skin color, family of origin, and Scottish
and Welsh bloodlines remain the same.

9. Content Themes
There are two important content themes in Bob’s story as he
describes his religious identity development. The first theme is
the socialization to religion that he experienced not only from
his family, but also from his community and the region in which
he was raised. The second theme is his shift from a
fundamentalist Evangelical perspective to his own sense of
religion and spirituality.
Religious Socialization
For Bob, socialization for religion existed in the family and was
reinforced through his community and the regional area where
he was born. His family was of an Evangelical Christian faith,
and religion was taught to the children as a way of life. Every
part of his life was based in or grounded on Biblical teachings
and following God. Although Bob felt uncertainty about the
importance of God’s direction in all parts of his life, he
nonetheless followed family socialization and attempted to
include God and His will as part of his life. The socialization
messages on religion were so strong that Bob seems to have felt
that there was little personal choice. In fact, he was distressed
that his older brother seemed not to follow the norms set by the
family and engaged in behaviors that upset his parents. To the
degree that he took responsibility for sparing the suffering of
his parents, he became “the good Christian son.”
Bob also makes a strong connection between his geographic
origin, the rural South, the Evangelical Christian beliefs of his
relatives and peers, his work ethic, and his ethnicity. His
religious socialization was enforced by his entire ecosystem.
For him it is still difficult to distinguish between his ethnicity,
his regional identity, and his religious formation. This is
understandable because there is a relationship between
geographic origin, ethnic background, and religious affiliation.

10. Bob was raised in the Bible Belt, where religious affiliation,
particularly Protestant and Evangelical faiths, is more important
than other cultural or personality characteristics. The result of
the internalization of the socialization led Bob to choose a
career as a minister to please his parents and to become closer
to God. What is most interesting is that Bob did not consider
himself to have much choice in career selection because making
choices that were pleasing to his family and God were a
lifestyle for him and consistent with the rest of his ecosystem.
Even though he knew during his studies that the field of
ministry was not for him, he could not turn his back on God and
his family.
Shift in Religious Identity
The evolving nature of Bob’s cultural identity is seen most
clearly in the shift in his relationships with God and the church
and his change of career from minister to teacher. As Bob traces
the beginning of the shifts that occurred in his life, he tells us
of the three factors that led to the change: the untimely death of
his mother and his subsequent anger at God, his lack of personal
fulfillment in working in formal ministry, and his move from
the rural South to the urban Northeast. His was a process that
culminates in slow but progressive changes in the way he views
his religious identity. He talks about shifting from a Christian
fundamentalist perspective, which included having a
personalized view of his relationship with God and a more
literal interpretation of the scriptures, to a less fundamentalist
view of his relationship with God.
Bob interprets his plunge into Christian fundamentalism and
eventually the ministry as a career choice, as having stemmed
from the behaviors of his brother, and as a way to please his
brokenhearted parents. Although he was unhappy when entering
the seminary, he describes how the sense of fulfillment or
happiness seemed irrelevant. This changed, however, when his

11. mother suddenly became ill. Because of his level of faith, Bob
believed that his prayers for her healing would be answered. He
also believed this because he had made sacrifices in his own
happiness to serve God. Bob was confused and overwhelmed by
his mother’s death and felt disappointed by God. This was an
extremely significant occurrence for him and in his words the
“most pivotal moment,” the one that seemed to initiate his
change in religious beliefs. The experience of being lost that
Bob described that extended to his career as a minister
eventually led to his growing awareness and his acceptance of
the lack of fulfillment that he felt in ministry. He moved with
his wife and was able to obtain another position in the church.
But it was shortly after accepting the position that he realized
that ministry was not for him. His feelings led him to
counseling. Such shifts from religious fundamentalism to more
liberal views of religious doctrine are not uncommon as
individuals begin to question their adherence to the beliefs of
the family of origin. After his mother died, Bob may have felt
more free to explore the meaning of his religious beliefs and
less constrained to continue with fundamentalist religious
beliefs solely to please his parents, which he was previously
compelled to do because of his brother’s behavior. With
hindsight, he now experiences his previous way of life as
inauthentic, lacking in personal agency or integrity.
Internal Migration and Religious Identity
Bob’s discomfort and dissonance experienced in New York City
amid what he describes as the segregated community of
Southern Whites transplanted to the Northeast may have
influenced his shift just as much as the death of his mother or
his own search for authenticity. Internal migrations, such as the
one experienced by Bob, from the more conservative rural South
to the more liberal urban Northeast call for acculturation
processes that may be just as relevant as the ones that take place
when people move from one country to another. The sudden

12. exposure to dramatically different cultural milieus within the
same country may have an effect on an individual’s cultural
identity and religious beliefs or practices. It seems fair to
wonder to what extent Bob’s religious ideas would have shifted
had he stayed in the South, in the same community, and around
the same peers. At the same time, one wonders whether the
seeds of change were already present in Bob, which may have
made it possible for him to move in the first place, because
those who move or emigrate are already open to the idea of
dramatically changing their lives (Grinberg & Grinberg, 2000).
Clinical Applications
This section comprises assessment questions related to the
theme of shifts in religious beliefs and in career choice.
Assessment
Conversations about religion are not always easy to conduct,
particularly between therapists and clients. There is a well-
documented historical relationship between secularism and
psychotherapy that persists in the taboo of discussing a person’s
faith in depth in the culture in general and in the therapeutic
situation in particular. Many therapists, especially if they are
unfamiliar with the religious background of the client, may not
consider themselves qualified enough to have these
conversations. It is important, however, to assess the degree to
which a person’s religious beliefs, religious affiliations, and
religious allegiance may shift according to a person’s
experience, place of residence, family events, and so on. If
someone like Bob were to seek help at the time of the transition,
how the therapist handles these issues is of crucial importance
for the well-being of the client. It is also important to assess the
career choices of individuals and how they arrived at those
decisions because many people who are unhappy with their
career choice may have a difficult time exploring family

13. connections to their choice or may struggle while figuring out
their future if it involves issues of self-determination or
authenticity. Many counselors not specifically trained in dealing
with the career issues of their clients may fail to address them.
Following are some of the relevant questions therapists should
ask.
Shifts in Religious Beliefs
Were there any events in your life that may have influenced
your religious commitment, fervor, or affiliation?
Has your religious observance, commitment, fervor, or
affiliation changed in the course of your life?
Did your parents have the same or different religious
affiliations, observance, or commitment?
How has your siblings’ level of religious observance,
affiliation, or commitment influenced your relationship with
them?
Shifts in Career Choice
How did you make your initial career choice?
How satisfied are you with your career choice?
Are you aware of familial pressures or traditions that may have
influenced your career choice?
If you are switching careers, is it going to be viewed negatively
or positively in your family?

14. Techniques and Interventions
There were critical events in Bob’s life that took him on a
different path than the one he was on originally. As Bob
describes, his strong religious identity was initially shaped by
events in his family, his parents’ religious affiliation, the
behavior of his sibling, his geographic origin, and his ethnic
affiliation as a White, religiously conservative Southerner. At a
certain point in his life, he determined that he needed to make a
change of course, which took him onto a completely different
track. Such dramatic switches can be difficult for the therapist
to follow, support, and elicit, particularly if the therapist is of a
different religious orientation than that of the client or if the
therapist thinks that he or she has not been trained in dealing
with career-related issues (Worthington, Hook, Davis, &
McDaniel, 2011). Therapists often treat career, religious, or
ethnicity issues as if they were special issues (Giordano &
McGoldrick, 1996) rather than basic to understanding personal
identity. No matter what stage of the life cycle individuals are
going through, helping them sort through important career or
religious paths may be one of the most vital benefits of therapy
for those experiencing dramatic shifts in their life paths. Often,
early career decisions and early religious affiliations are closely
tied to identifications with family of origin, as in Bob’s case.
Helping clients tease out these early identifications with family
of origin from the personal goals and aspirations may make a
difference in clients’ lives and help them go from living to
please or appease others to a more personally fulfilling career
or religious life. Therapists also need to help clients as they
shift and change in their religious identity. Clients often
experience loss or trauma that causes a shift in their thinking
and religious beliefs. This can create a void that is difficult to
fill. Focusing on the spiritual needs of clients (Fukuyama &
Sevig, 1999) can be a way to help them begin to sift and tease

15. out religious teachings and beliefs from their socialization
experiences.
One useful technique to help clients sort out the different
aspects of themselves is called Voice Dialogue and involves
identifying parts of the self, naming them, and encouraging
dialogues between the self and the part or between the different
parts (Zweifel, 2002). Once a part is identified, the self can
have a dialogue with the part and ask, “What is your job in my
life? What do you want? What do you need? Do you get enough
airtime? If you had more airtime, what would you do? What do
you know about the other parts?” Eliciting an internal search-
and-find mission can lead to integration and more effective
decision making (Zweifel, 2002), particularly when it comes to
choosing a path that involves lifelong commitments, such as a
career or the fulfillment of spiritual needs. The Internal Family
Systems model (Schwartz, 1995) is another model that
recognizes the multiple selves of the personality. Allowing the
parts to surface is helpful for self-exploration, and that, in turn,
can help solve dilemmas.
Countertransference
Clinicians sometimes hold strong opinions about issues that
appear to be foreign, strange, or too “other.” This can get in the
way of sound clinical practice. If the therapist is not able to
dissolve the negative countertransference, it might be important
to refer the client to someone else. In general terms, it is not
possible to conduct meaningful therapeutic work when the
counselor is disgusted with, fearful of, or too critical of the
choices of their clients.
Negative Reactions to Strict Religious Practices
Clinicians often have strong reactions to individuals raised and
socialized with strict evangelical religious traditions. For many,

16. the notion of restricting behaviors, such as dancing, playing
cards, wearing makeup, or watching television, seems odd and
unusual. However, this is often the case for clients, and
clinicians need to be respectful of clients’ beliefs. Attempting
to teach clients that these beliefs are wrong or too restrictive
can be damaging to the therapeutic relationship, particularly if
these issues are not related to the presenting problem.
Overreaction to Clients Who Are Excommunicated
The other reaction that counselors often have is to overreact to
the hurt that clients feel from their religious background. One of
us, Anita, had a client who was excommunicated from her
church and family and divorced from her husband because she
took her child to the movies, a behavior that was strictly
prohibited by the church. When students hear the story, they
often become outraged at the church’s and the family’s
response. Although this anger may be a natural reaction to the
situation, expressing the anger and encouraging anger in the
client may be inappropriate. The client in this case needed to
grieve and mourn the loss of her only support system and to
reconcile her relationship with God and her religious identity.
Although expressing anger was certainly a part of her grieving
process, the clinician who focuses too much on this feeling
disrupts and hinders the therapeutic process.
Applying Voice Dialogue (Zweifel, 2002) or multiple self-work
(Schwartz, 1995) to the countertransference reaction might be a
useful way for clinicians to observe the parts of themselves that
are rejecting, disgusted by, or angry with the client’s decisions,
the client’s family, or the client’s church. Allowing a dialogue
between the self of the therapist and the disgusted, rejecting, or
angry part of the therapist may bring some interesting
information to the surface that may dissolve the disgust or anger
of the clinician, increase her or his empathy, and allow for some
creative ideas for helping the clients move forward.

17. Toolbox Activity—Bob