Global Diversity Issues in Counseling

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, counselors must learn how to work across, through, and beyond cultural and continental differences (McFadden & Moore, 2002). McFadden (1999) suggested that 'confusion and shifts in political, social, and economic problems that have never been greater than at this time present themselves in every aspect of our lives' (p. xviii). It is reasonable to believe that individuals throughout the world are likely to need assistance from professionals such as mental health counselors. The general consensus among counseling professionals who are consistently being exposed to diverse cultures is that there is a need to learn how to create a caring counseling environment that 'transcends cultural, ethnic, racial, and national boundaries' (McFadden, 1999, p. xvi).