Culture

I have been thinking a great deal about culture this week and what that really means. From our book we saw the interaction of those going into a new culture. With Project we are embracing the elements of the CRAFT model.  We each have our own culture but are we exposing ourselves to diversity? Do all of our friends, family and interactions look like us or are we branching out of the comfort zone and familiarizing ourselves with those who are different?

I grew up in a family where mental illness was rampant. It is a culture so often misunderstood and no matter how far we come in understanding mental illness, we still have stereotypes. I have a friend who is bipolar.  He is often misunderstood as being unsafe and a lunatic due to several psychotic episodes which involve police and drama that no family would want to encounter. He lives in a small community where people want everything to look perfect. Life is not. His wife and children often suffer due to the lack of awareness of what mental illness truly is.  As his friend, I want his neighbors to go beyond their egocentric thinking and get to know him and see him for who he is. In order to understand those who are unique, we have to want to expose ourselves to something or someone which can be fearful.

I enjoy running and many days I encounter a variety of homeless people...a culture that I don't understand. So often I would like to talk to them and enter a world that to me is actually quite terrifying. Fear...it paralyzes us and prevents us from accomplishing goals.

I have a multicultural psychology class this semester that relates to our Project. I didn't realize  when I signed up for Project that the two would so closely intertwine. Working with the Dove Springs Community or any community that is diverse requires taking a look at our own culture and being aware of any attitudes or stereotypes we may have.  The author of Psychotherapy and Counseling with Minorities recommends doing a self life-history.Doing this involves:

• Looking at the cultural diversity of your past.
• How diverse is your neighborhood and community
• How diverse is your former school or present environment
• How diverse are the people I date or dated
• How diverse are the places I visit
• How diverse are my college courses
• How diverse are the challenges I undertake or have undertaken

I find these questions to be beneficial as I look to work with others that have a culture that is unique to mine. I hope by looking at my own diversity and lack thereof that I will be effective in pursuing my goal to help others and also to break down walls of misunderstanding related to others.