Culture-Infused Counselling: Contexts, Identities, and Social Justice

Abstract

In this chapter, multicultural counselling competency frameworks are introduced. Readers are invited to engage in learning about the connections between people’s cultural contexts, their cultural identities, and how social processes lead to experiences of privilege and/or marginalization. The revised culture-infused counselling (CIC) framework is introduced, with 4 domains and 16 competencies. Discussion is focused on core constructs that support each of the four domains in the application of CIC practices. Counsellors are encouraged to expand their self-awareness about personal cultural identities and the cultural identities of their clients, reflect on people’s social locations, work towards establishing a culturally responsive and socially just working alliance, and think systemically in designing interventions. Counsellors are reminded of the importance of connecting culture and social justice as underpinning constructs for multicultural counselling, including the CIC framework.