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Counseling the Culturally Diverse Theory and Practice sixth edition
542 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2017
I highly recommend this text for everyone training or working in the mental health field. I call this a MUST read. Particularly if you already consider yourself culturally competent.
It is the position of this text, that no matter who you are, or where you come from, cultural competence is an ongoing journey, not a destination. And I agree 100%.
I'm happy to de able to give this book such a warm endorsement. Because I had some pretty serious complaints about the previous edition.
I read the 5th Ed for a Cultural Diversity course for my masters level marriage and family therapist (MFT) training.
CCD 6th Ed is vastly improved over the 5th Ed in numerous ways, including but not limited to:
1. (first and foremost) CCD 5th Ed did not include LGBTQ issues and (if I recall correctly), the text disputed LGBTQ legitimacy as a cultural category and argued that their inclusion in discussions pertinent to cultural diversity was a distraction. WOW!!!
I took the course with a Buddhist monk who was considering coming out, and completely overwhelmingly concerned about it. And a Taiwanese lesbian who was out in her home country, but scared to come out in the USA.
The exclusion of LGBTQ issues was a HUGE problem for the class, and we were all fairly outraged by the position of the authors (and unfortunately the instructor).
When I brought the problem to the chair of my program, she insinuated that I was critical of the text because I am a white male. At that point I backed away slowly.
I tried on several other occasions to have various clinicians from the LGBTQ community present at my school.
No dice.
Long story short, I obtained a masters degree in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in multicultural counseling without receiving any LGBTQ specific training. And that was in 2010. And CCD 5th Ed was (at least partially) part of that problem.
NOTE: I have had LGBTQ specific professional training due (in part) to my time working in Community Mental Health with the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) and their inclusive policies and trainings. Go DMH!!! (a phrase you are unlikely to ever hear or read again).
CCD 6th Ed. includes LGBTQ issues and does a pretty decent job of addressing the particular needs of LGBTQ clients. Still insufficient, but a HUGE improvement.
Yes we can!!!
However, the text made no mention of the position of the previous edition, and I lost respect for the authors again for their lack of integrity and intellectual honesty regarding the issue. Particularly because the text adopted a somewhat self righteous tone regarding the importance of inclusion of LGBTQ issues in multicultural counseling.
No they didn't!!!
2. (a close second) CCD 5th Ed seemed to operate form an implicit assumption that counselors from marginalized cultures were automatically culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of other marginalized groups.
The assumption was (get this) that, for instance; an Asian counselor would necessarily be intrinsically knowledgeable about, and sensitive to the particular culture and needs of African American clients or vice versa. And additionally, that there was no animosity between marginalized groups in America because they were united in the cause against oppression.
Whatever (W)
I almost fell out of my chair, time and time again when I encountered material in CCD 5th Ed. that made these types of errors.
Anyone who was in California during the Rodney King demonstrations knows that this is total nonsense.
I was at a gun range (first and last time) in the Bay Area (Hunters Point for those in the know) a few weeks after the riots, and half of the place was African American dudes, and the other half was Korean dudes. No mixing at all. The place was literally divided in half. All of them had these insanely powerful weapons, and (I swear to god) if there weren't cameras in that place it would have been game on. You could cut the animosity with a knife.
So. It's not all good. Not even close.
As a clinician that has worked very closely with African American, Latino and Asian clinicians, I'm here to tell you that, originating from a marginalized culture does not necessarily equate to competency in counseling every single other marginalized culture. The very notion is absurd to me.
In CCD 6th Ed the authors openly and honestly addresses their mistake and devote a good portion of the text to dispelling this (literally) dangerous idea.
I think it was an awesomely good decision for the authors to openly discuss their previous failures. By doing so, they demonstrated the self evaluation, rigorous honesty and brave commitment same work that they rightly admonish the readers to engage in.
CCD 6th Ed adopts a much improved, much more realistic position that all clinicians have to undergo a similar process of self interrogation and education in order to become competent in another culture.
That being said. I am REALLY confused by the authors lack of transparency regarding their intentional omission of LGBTQ issues from previous editions. What a lost opportunity.
Another big W.
3. (last but not least) CCD 5th Ed spent almost no time on the specific methodology of effective multicultural counseling.
CCD 6th Ed does a very nice job of introducing some specific methods and points the reader in the right direction for further reading.
I know I have griped a lot about this text. But it's only because I feel like this subject is so important, and this is the authoritative text on the subject. I want it to be superb. And it's getting there. The 7th Ed just dropped, so I'm looking forward to reading it once the price comes down.
Anyway. I grew a lot and learned a lot from reading CCD. Even the 5th Ed. which is an excellent text in many ways.
I Highly recommend this text.
NOTE: It is possible, nay, likely that I miss read the text(s) in many ways. I only read each of them once. And in order to sufficiently back up my arguments I really should re-read the texts. And there's no way in hell I will do that. So if I'm off base. Enlighten me in the comment section. I'd love to hear if I'm being unfair.
It is the position of this text, that no matter who you are, or where you come from, cultural competence is an ongoing journey, not a destination. And I agree 100%.
I'm happy to de able to give this book such a warm endorsement. Because I had some pretty serious complaints about the previous edition.
I read the 5th Ed for a Cultural Diversity course for my masters level marriage and family therapist (MFT) training.
CCD 6th Ed is vastly improved over the 5th Ed in numerous ways, including but not limited to:
1. (first and foremost) CCD 5th Ed did not include LGBTQ issues and (if I recall correctly), the text disputed LGBTQ legitimacy as a cultural category and argued that their inclusion in discussions pertinent to cultural diversity was a distraction. WOW!!!
I took the course with a Buddhist monk who was considering coming out, and completely overwhelmingly concerned about it. And a Taiwanese lesbian who was out in her home country, but scared to come out in the USA.
The exclusion of LGBTQ issues was a HUGE problem for the class, and we were all fairly outraged by the position of the authors (and unfortunately the instructor).
When I brought the problem to the chair of my program, she insinuated that I was critical of the text because I am a white male. At that point I backed away slowly.
I tried on several other occasions to have various clinicians from the LGBTQ community present at my school.
No dice.
Long story short, I obtained a masters degree in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in multicultural counseling without receiving any LGBTQ specific training. And that was in 2010. And CCD 5th Ed was (at least partially) part of that problem.
NOTE: I have had LGBTQ specific professional training due (in part) to my time working in Community Mental Health with the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) and their inclusive policies and trainings. Go DMH!!! (a phrase you are unlikely to ever hear or read again).
CCD 6th Ed. includes LGBTQ issues and does a pretty decent job of addressing the particular needs of LGBTQ clients. Still insufficient, but a HUGE improvement.
Yes we can!!!
However, the text made no mention of the position of the previous edition, and I lost respect for the authors again for their lack of integrity and intellectual honesty regarding the issue. Particularly because the text adopted a somewhat self righteous tone regarding the importance of inclusion of LGBTQ issues in multicultural counseling.
No they didn't!!!
2. (a close second) CCD 5th Ed seemed to operate form an implicit assumption that counselors from marginalized cultures were automatically culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of other marginalized groups.
The assumption was (get this) that, for instance; an Asian counselor would necessarily be intrinsically knowledgeable about, and sensitive to the particular culture and needs of African American clients or vice versa. And additionally, that there was no animosity between marginalized groups in America because they were united in the cause against oppression.
Whatever (W)
I almost fell out of my chair, time and time again when I encountered material in CCD 5th Ed. that made these types of errors.
Anyone who was in California during the Rodney King demonstrations knows that this is total nonsense.
I was at a gun range (first and last time) in the Bay Area (Hunters Point for those in the know) a few weeks after the riots, and half of the place was African American dudes, and the other half was Korean dudes. No mixing at all. The place was literally divided in half. All of them had these insanely powerful weapons, and (I swear to god) if there weren't cameras in that place it would have been game on. You could cut the animosity with a knife.
So. It's not all good. Not even close.
As a clinician that has worked very closely with African American, Latino and Asian clinicians, I'm here to tell you that, originating from a marginalized culture does not necessarily equate to competency in counseling every single other marginalized culture. The very notion is absurd to me.
In CCD 6th Ed the authors openly and honestly addresses their mistake and devote a good portion of the text to dispelling this (literally) dangerous idea.
I think it was an awesomely good decision for the authors to openly discuss their previous failures. By doing so, they demonstrated the self evaluation, rigorous honesty and brave commitment same work that they rightly admonish the readers to engage in.
CCD 6th Ed adopts a much improved, much more realistic position that all clinicians have to undergo a similar process of self interrogation and education in order to become competent in another culture.
That being said. I am REALLY confused by the authors lack of transparency regarding their intentional omission of LGBTQ issues from previous editions. What a lost opportunity.
Another big W.
3. (last but not least) CCD 5th Ed spent almost no time on the specific methodology of effective multicultural counseling.
CCD 6th Ed does a very nice job of introducing some specific methods and points the reader in the right direction for further reading.
I know I have griped a lot about this text. But it's only because I feel like this subject is so important, and this is the authoritative text on the subject. I want it to be superb. And it's getting there. The 7th Ed just dropped, so I'm looking forward to reading it once the price comes down.
Anyway. I grew a lot and learned a lot from reading CCD. Even the 5th Ed. which is an excellent text in many ways.
I Highly recommend this text.
NOTE: It is possible, nay, likely that I miss read the text(s) in many ways. I only read each of them once. And in order to sufficiently back up my arguments I really should re-read the texts. And there's no way in hell I will do that. So if I'm off base. Enlighten me in the comment section. I'd love to hear if I'm being unfair.
December 29, 2025
Read this for my Clinical Counseling Class. Would highly recommend—well supported, eye-opening, and helpful for anyone stepping into our field. Be prepared to see yourself grow and to be better prepared to support clients of multiple backgrounds.
December 6, 2018
This book ticked me off at times, but I did learn a lot from it. Never fully grasped how much racism is in our country, and what it is like to be a person of color.
December 11, 2023
Excellent, balanced, research based textbook on diversity. Actually read 9th Edition.
December 20, 2023
I learned about lot about a new perspective in counseling. Very informational!
November 15, 2024
This book gives a lot of great information about counseling diverse populations. However, I wish it included some more practical advice on how to apply what they discussed.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews