On the experience of shame in multicultural counselling: Implications for white counsellors-in-training

Abstract

During the process of developing multicultural competencies, counsellors-in-training experience a wide array of emotional reactions. Through extensive instruction, observation, personal communications and training exercises, the authors have noted the commonality of shame among many white trainees participating in multicultural coursework.The experience of shame in white counsellorsin-training tends to increase as their white identity development evolves and as an awareness of racial differences, stereotypes, and prejudices becomes evident.The emotion of shame can then lead to defensive responses that can hinder empathic understanding and thus forestall the development of true multicultural competencies. Therefore, it is vital that white counsellors-in-training increase selfawareness of, monitor, and actively work through shame related to multicultural issues while undergoing the training process. This article differentiates shame from guilt, describes the link between shame and white identity development, and outlines how experiences of shame in white counselling trainees may limit their professional growth if not addressed by trainers. Steps for assessing, actively processing and following up with these experiences during training situations are summarised.