Understanding European American Culture and Identity

1. CHAPTER 14:Individuals and Families of European Descent Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Systems Approach Second Edition Danica G. Hays and Bradley T. Erford

2. “Europe” as a distinct region Physical features & cultural practices important in determining who was European Adoption of the Christian religion Early European settlements in United States Major European immigration periods Enculturation and acculturation Use of different terms European American History

3. The American “melting pot” Process of combining a variety of cultural backgrounds & beliefs to create a new “White American” culture Metaphor replaced by “salad bowl” The development of “the American Dream” Manifestation of White American ethnic cultural values. Reinforces the notion of the U.S. as a utopia and meritocracy The creation of a National heritage Collective memory of the dominant heritage Development of a White American Ethnic Identity

4. Privilege is not identified as a “value” but is a widely recognized expression of White culture worldwide Factors that facilitate the invisibility of systemic & systematic oppression: Myth of meritocracy Religious or virtuous rationalizations for civilizing communities deemed Godless or uncivil Common teachings that racism occurs through “individual acts of meanness” White Americans & European-based values Ethnocentric Monoculturalism provides the ability to impose the White American reality onto other groups Privilege, Oppression, & Ethnocentric Monoculturalism

5. Transition from European ethnic to White American ethnic is dependent upon the individual or family being identified as racially “White” Prerequisites for being White Learning to speak English Adopting “American” names Receiving an American education Marrying into a White family World Wars affected the development of the White American ethnicity Who Gets to be White?

6. Non-European individuals are rarely able to fully “become White”, but European immigrants can become White When individuals become White, the privileges associated with being a member of the majority culture follow Disadvantages of the process of becoming White: Individuals must give up a degree of their original cultural identity This is why so many White Americans have difficulty understanding the concept of culture generally & their own culture specifically Process can cause conflict & tension between members of a family, or between families and the larger community The Process of Becoming White

7. Common European values Myriad of intragroup differences Great diversity on many topics: Focus on achievement Individual or group focus Gender roles Conceptualizations of family Treatment of elderly European American Heterogeneity

8. SES plays a key role in the variance among European Americans Geography and religious affiliation can have a significant effect upon values Generational differences are apparent Many White ethnics may be a part of marginalized groups not based on ethnicity European American Heterogeneity Continued

9. Families of all White American ethnics were immigrants at some time 53 nationalities have been identified within the larger European American umbrella European immigration continues & in 2003, immigrants of European descent represented approximately 30% of documented immigrants Recent European American Immigrants

10. In 2010, over 95,000 European immigrants were granted Legal Permanent Status by the U.S. Undocumented Immigrants – non-citizens of a host country who did not go through the procedures established by the host country’s policies Refugees – people living outside of their native country and who are granted permission to set up residence in host country because they are unable or unwilling to return to their native country for fear of persecution International Students – individuals living in a host country for the purpose of pursuing a degree Immigrants, Undocumented Immigrants, and Refugees

11. European immigrants Share physical & cultural features with the dominant culture Face acculturation issues & pressures unique to European immigrant populations Might experience a process similar to grieving due to a sense of disconnect from one’s community, family, & friends, experiences of being devalued & silenced, and having to relearn conveniences previously taken for granted Immigrants who come from non-English speaking countries may have difficulty communicating with people in their new communities Immigration Stressors

12. Ethnic Identity Reconstruction = interactional model including culture of origin, identity attitudes, preferences, lifestyle of immigrant population, political climate and climate of host country, and interaction between all of these factors Since European immigrants look “White”, they may not be viewed as foreigners Factors affect the process of English language acquisition Communication plays an important role in adolescent socialization Acculturation

13. Many European groups have been negatively stereotyped in mainstream U.S. culture by other groups Overt discrimination is more likely to exist when immigrants have more visible or dramatic differences from the majority culture (e.g., skin color) European immigrants may face more subtle, but just as damaging, systemic oppression Immigrants who have poor English language skills are far more likely to be underemployed, regardless of skill level or education Immigrants may be much more educated than U.S. employers believe Oppression & Discrimination

14. Mental well-being & pathology are largely Western European constructs Many early theorists are White males of European or European American descent, & thus their approaches were developed within their cultural context Cultural beliefs have contributed to feelings of inadequacy among many White American ethnic women There are inconsistencies within the larger culture which contribute to stress & frustration for White American ethnics Counseling Considerations

15. Because problems are seen as individual, they are less likely to be discussed within the family Can lead to problems during childrearing and partnerships Individuation from the family is widely valued, but timing of individuation can have profound effects on the future development of the child The value on youth & the characteristics commonly associated with youth (e.g., beauty, athleticism, freedom) contribute to emotional difficulties Cultural norms discourage expression of emotion, especially difficult emotions Counseling Considerations Cont.

16. Counseling theories stress the importance of many European & White American values in the process of healing Multicultural counseling movement When counseling White American clients: Be aware of own cultural values & the theoretical perspective from which one operates Enter into counseling with an understanding of both their own worldview & the cultural base of the White American client Counseling White American Ethnic Clients

17. D’Andrea & Daniels (1997) RESPECTFUL counseling & development model Religious/Spiritual Identity Economic Class Background Sexual Identity Psychological Maturity Ethnic/Racial Identity Chronological/Developmental Challenges Trauma & Other Threats to One’s Well-Being Family Background & History Unique Physical Characteristics Location of Residence & Language differences Counseling White American Ethnic Clients

18. White Americans may be unclear about their cultural values Conceptualize the role that cultural conflicts may play in the presenting problem and/or in any underlying issues Conflicts between cultural beliefs & personal beliefs Importance of the therapeutic relationship Strategies that facilitate the relationship Counseling White American Ethnic Clients

19. Pre-migration stressors and post-migration stressors Stress because of high expectations for move, leading to low self-efficacy, doubt, and regret Loss of connectedness & feelings of being misunderstood or not accepted Lack of harmony & balance Cultural conflict between the dominant culture in America & the culture of their home countries Stress of transition & financial problems Relationship difficulties Mental Health Issues of European Immigrants

20. Couples who are not married, single parents, GLBTQI couples, & other non “male-female married” couples may face further discrimination Discrimination, under-employment, feeling undervalued, & lack of social support network Loss of self-esteem at work due to language barriers Further stressors when the family has children European immigrant children & adolescents seeking counseling or psychological services will first be identified within the school system Mental Health Issues of European Immigrants Cont.

21. Consider the following common issues: Search for protection from trauma, oppression, & isolation Search for better standards of living & experiencing a new lifestyle Focus on survival Sense of belonging is replaced with isolation Sense of harmony is replaced with disruption Sense of mastery is replaced with being devalued Sense of independence replaced with dependence Counseling European Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students

22. Narrative approaches 3 Core phases: Deconstruction of the dominant culture narrative Externalization of the problem Reauthoring of the story Creative Arts Use of storytelling Counseling European Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students

23. Explore several elements with clients that influence cultural identity & wellness Primary social networks (e.g., same ethnicity, mixed, other) Cultural dimensions (e.g., place of nativity, acculturation level) Native culture contacts (e.g., high, moderate, low) Immigration history (e.g., precipitating events, migration experience, post migration experiences) Language dimensions Psycho-cultural dimensions Other sources of stress (e.g., residency, oppression, gender, immigration, racism, vocational, economic, marital) Counseling European Immigrants, Refugees, and International Students