Pastoral Counseling

Issues in the helping profession

Pastoral counseling: An overview

Multicultural sensitivities

Pastoral counselors today will inevitably come into contact with persons of widely varying cultural traditions. For example, when counseling someone regarding how to care for an elderly parent with whom the family is now residing, the counselor must be aware that different cultures view the elderly in different ways. For some people, taking care of older parents is considered to be a necessary obligation -- the extended family rather than the nuclear family is prioritized. The counselor will not necessarily alter his advice, but it should be nuanced and informed with cultural awareness.

In other matters, such as dealing with diverse religious groups and matters of sexual orientation, personal desire may seem to come into conflict with scripture. The counselor may state the position of his faith, but still approaches the client with a loving and open...
[ View Full Essay]