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Teaching and Supervision in Counseling

Author ORCID Identifier

Jessica Haas: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5019-9279

Diane D. Walsh: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0412-3978

Author Biographies

Jessica Haas, Ph.D., NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Stetson University. Their research interests include equity and resilience development and counselor education (ORCiD).

Diane D. Walsh, Ph.D., LGPC, NCC, is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at McDaniel College. Her research interests include social class, religion and spirituality, and counselor education (ORCiD).

Marisa Marroquin is a Master of Education student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Their research interests include counselor education, equity development, and refugee, asylum seeker, and immigration processes.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc06vevm

Abstract

Language plays a central role in building a therapeutic working alliance. Language is essential in building trust, conveying empathy, and creating shared meaning between counselors and clients. Nevertheless, language can equally harm the working alliance if used insensitively or without awareness of cultural and social differences. Sociolinguistic awareness emphasizes the interpretational nature of language and how it can unintentionally perpetuate discrimination against marginalized identities. Counselor educators can utilize sociolinguistic principles to model and teach the significance of language in counseling and its relationship to multicultural competency and cultural humility. The article highlights how clients' language may connect to their social perspective and identity expression and how language can be used by the counselor to avoid misunderstandings, microaggressions, or aggressions.

Public Significance Statement

The article has significant implications for promoting ethical and effective counseling to enhance student multicultural competency. When counselors gain sensitivity to the culturally centralized messages embedded in common phrases and expressions, unintended messages with the potential to distance clients can be minimized to improve care and strengthen the therapeutic relationship.

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