The Setting
The case encompasses a first-year female college student who has visited a counselor in the Center for Student Services. The young female student talks about some life challenges she is encountering while adjusting to the college lifestyle. Precisely, the first-year is naïve coming from a small town in the remote areas, and being in a large, well-developed state university has been a mystery experience. The female student is jubilant, speaks responsively, and appears to be in a good mood. While the student seems ecstatic, she worries about her college life, especially when interacting with her friends, who appear confident and much worldlier.
Her college life has been a big deal since she has never traveled to other countries, does not have the latest most excellent smartphone and laptop, unlike her friends who do not see college life as a big deal. The first time she landed in the college assumed that her life and her family would change since it seemed like being on the moon. However, she is worried and pressured about college life and its environs, but she does not wish to let her family down who has hope in her.
Identity of Client
Ethnic-racial identity is typically denoted by an individual’s ethnic legacy and racialized beliefs or experiences within a given context. There is a need to understand people’s exploration based on their ethnic-racial context to know their privilege and other racial-related discrimination (Egan, & Reese, 2018). Considering the selected case study, the client’s age, race, culture, and ethnicity are not given. It will be unfair to guess or assume such details in this case. Nonetheless, the client is a young female student from a rural town. There is a possibility that the city is not modernized since she has never traveled or experienced a luxurious lifestyle such as having the latest version of phones and computers. The client is at a life stage where she needs to find and understand herself better (Egan, 2018). It appears the student is naïve and has not attained maturity. Although her socioeconomic is unknown, it seems low or medium, considering her life inexperience. She is unaware of technological advances that have occurred outside her country. She needs to suit in the college life, be prosperous and relish life other students.
Consequently, some theories or models might align with my client’s history or description. Indeed, the ideal model for this client might be White Racial Identity Model. Formulated by psychologist Janet Helms, it is an ethnic and racial identity for whites (Willis, & Neblett, 2020). The female student seems to fall under the disintegration phase of the model since the individual has new experiences in college. Again, she feels guilty and humiliated due to the unique life experience and concept she is introduced to. She has never been exposed to life experiences, new technologies, and things like her new friends. Being in college is a big deal to her which is different from her friends. There is a need to change her perception regarding life and focus on positives by embracing unique cultural settings and experiences.
Helper Self-Identity
There is a need to lead with empath when dealing with clients. Having concise responsiveness might affect how the client opens up and the ideal solutions for their life challenges. My ethnicity, cultural background, identity, and race might affect how I communicate and understand my clients’ messages (Egan, 2018). My ethnicity is different from my client, which makes me understand her challenges in the new life exposure and experiences. I come from a modernized city, while my client hails from a rural town. Such a disparity will enable me to guide my client on adjusting to modern college life without unnecessary challenges (Miller-Cotto, & Byrnes, 2016). I also have adequate skills and experience with college life to assist her in coping with her life.
Client Dialogue
When engaging a client in a dialogue, there is a need to understand their identity, culture, ethnicity, and race to know the correct terms and strategies to apply. Professional counselors must embrace openness and empathy to create a friendly and conducive environment for their clients (Willis, & Neblett, 2020). They must be diverse to deal with clients from different ethnic settings by first understanding their feelings, behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs. The following is a dialogue session with the client;
Counselor: Good afternoon. Welcome and make yourself comfortable. Please feel at home! May I offer you a glass of water?
Client: Good afternoon. Yeah, I will like to take some water before commencing the session. Thank you for the offer!
The Core Message
Counselor: Welcome. Now, how are you coping with college life? Do you think you may need my assistance as a new college student?
Client: To be precise, college life is not that easy though I am trying. My new college friends seem to know a lot, are more confident and much worldlier than me. I have not traveled outside my country, unlike them, who have explored almost every part of the world. They own the latest paramount smartphones and laptops and urge that college is not a big deal. This is different from me. “To me, college is a big deal because I am the first one in my family to go to college, this makes me feel as if I landed on the moon!” (She says this with a smile on her face).… but with a bit of help, I can figure it out.
Probing
Counselor: Ooooh! You mean you feel confused, ashamed, and bothered while in college since you have never experienced such a modernized lifestyle as your new friends, and at the same time, you do not want to let your family down because you are the first to attend college?
Client: Precisely! All these have been by emotional feelings, and I am confused.
A Formula for Empathy
Counselor: I really feel and understand your experiences in the new college life. I am very sorry for not meeting with you before to assist you in adjusting and coping with your new life experiences! I am really sorry!
Client: I appreciate it! I am sure you will impact my college life positively. It is never too late!
Summarizing
Counselor: Absolutely! Apart from such emotional feelings, are you experiencing other feelings?
Client: Yes! I sometimes feel under pressure and irritated.
Counselor: You mean as if pressed against the wall. (Jokingly).
Client: Mmmmmh, somehow yes, and no to some extent. Sometimes the life is unbearable.
Brainstorming on Possibilities for Actions
Counselor: Uh-huh! Now tell me why you say yes and no to some extent.
Client: Indeed, the irritation comes when I am unable to align or rhyme with my new friends since I desire to be. I need to experience some things they have experienced as a college student like them. Besides, there is pressure to prosper since I am the first in my entire family to get an opportunity of going to college, and I do not wish to fail them. Hence, the pressed against the wall feelings emanate whenever I think between enjoying college life and exploring the world freely or forgetting about such new experiences and focusing on the education to be successful.
Turning Possibilities into a Goal
Counselor: Alright, thank you for sharing with me! Let us now think collectively to come up with ideal solutions. First, being from a small rural town and now being in a large college is an achievement. Your friends being much worldlier than you does not imply your incompetence in college life and life in general. There is a need to make you refrain from the feelings of shame, confusion, worry, and infamy. I suggest you join some college social forums and groups whenever you are free to open and modify your aperture to new experiences, academic goals, and innovative things.
Sample Solution
