Psychology

You are the first chief diversity officer at a Fortune 100 company. To help employees understand cross-cultural diversity and the value of diversity in the workplace, you are assigned to create a presentation on the cultural influences in your life. Include pictures to show how social practice and the culture you grew up in helped shape you.
Think about the person you are now. Think of all the cultural influences that may have impinged on you. Some examples include your parents, your parental milieu, your ethnic group, your religion, the areas or countries you lived in, your gender, the schools you went to, the schools’ ideology, and your peers and their backgrounds.
I am from Ohio an went to a all-girls Catholic school. My dad was Army Military. and my mother ran our plumbing company. I was a counselor for the military and have traveled all over the world. last duty station was in Kaiserslautern Germany. My peers are counselors from all backgrounds. I, am married with 4 children and have converted to a Baptise and have lived in ky for 45 years

ANSWER

Cross Cultural Diversity

Culture shapes life by influencing choices and how one view themselves and others. Culture is a great shaper of personality since it includes the norms, beliefs, and values which affect how a person learns, lives, and behaves (Liao & Thomas, 2020). My own culture has shaped my perception and thinking of the world, considering that I was brought up in Ohio. Due to my experiences with my parents and the neighborhood, I learned how to treat everyone equally. I realized that not everyone is the same, and interacting with different cultures requires respect and understanding of diversities, even when one is different from them.

The cultural norms about parenting approach typically impact how children are raised (Bornstein, 2012). The norms affect what values and beliefs parents teach to their children. My family has been relatively conservative, with my parents condemning racist behaviors such as unwanted comments toward another person’s race or verbal abuse. My parents are conservative and always told me to be careful with what I say because my words could be interpreted badly. When interacting with someone from a different culture, it is important to be respectful and humble. One should avoid making assumptions about what the other person may or may not know.

Living in Ohio has shaped my worldview and taught me the importance of respecting and understanding people from all backgrounds. Cultural diversity is experienced in Ohio through the various heritage groups present in the state. These include the Germans, Native Americans, and many other groups. This diversity is reflected in these groups’ customs, beliefs, and values. It is also evident in how they interact with people from other cultures. The state of Ohio is home to a large number of Native American tribes. These include the Shawnee, the Miami, the Ottawa, and the Iroquois. Each of these groups has its own distinct culture and way of life. They also have different customs and beliefs. Ohio is also home to several Germanic tribes. These include the Amish, the Mennonites, and the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Each of these groups has its own unique culture and customs. The Amish, for instance, are known for their simple lifestyle and reliance on traditional farming methods. Ohio is also home to a large number of African Americans who have their unique culture and history. The state of Ohio is a microcosm of the United States. It is where people from all walks of life can find a home. Ohio is a state that values diversity and is committed to providing opportunities for all its residents to succeed. Having been brought up in Ohio, I lived in a society that reflected a heritage with a diverse mix of cultures that ranged from the Germans and many Native American tribes. The cultural diversity experienced in Ohio makes it quite unique and acts as an eye opener for people who come from other countries with less exposure to such a scenario.

Being a counselor in the military has built my knowledge of how to conduct culturally responsive counseling. I have explored diverse attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about working with diverse populations ensuring that each person accesses the counseling program that advocates for all personals in diverse cultural settings. Multicultural counseling has characterized my counseling psychology practice, which gives effective interventions to culturally diverse groups (Casas et al., 2016). For instance, through being sensitive to ethnic and cultural differences in the military, as a counselor, I have been able to help individuals to overcome their traumatic encounters. In order to effectively work with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, counselors need to be aware of their biases and assumptions. They also need to be willing to learn about and understand their clients’ values, beliefs, and customs. By doing this, I can provide culturally competent counseling services that are respectful of their clients’ cultures. My peers are counselors from diverse cultural backgrounds. This has helped me to develop a better understanding of different cultures and to be more sensitive to the needs of my clients. Interacting with people from different cultures allows one to understand and appreciate other people’s ethnicity.

References

Bornstein, M. H. (2012). Cultural approaches to parenting. Parenting, 12(2-3), 212-221.

Casas, J. M., Suzuki, L. A., Alexander, C. M., & Jackson, M. A. (Eds.). (2016). Handbook of multicultural counseling. Sage Publications.

Liao, Y., & Thomas, D. C. (2020). Cross-Cultural Competence. In Cultural Intelligence in the World of Work (pp. 3-15). Springer, Cham.