Sexual and gender identity
Assignment Instructions: Sexual and gender identity are topics that enter the counseling environment often as it plays a role in a variety of capacities throughout the lifespan. As you have read in your text, healthy development of identity takes into consideration the individual as it relates to family, cultural, religious, and other social and systemic factors. This becomes important when we consider social conditioning, judgement, bias, and projection that may negatively impact individuals who identify in a minority or marginalized group (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer).
As encouraged by the American Psychological Association (APA), counselors would do well to take into consideration the individual\’s worldview, life experiences, and support system as they assist the individual through personal exploration. For this reason, this assignment asks you to review the case study below and reflect on the American Counseling Association (ACA) approved competencies listed here in the document entitled: ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling Transgender ClientsLinks to an external site.
Directions:
Please read the case study below and answer the following questions.
Jamal is a 14 year-old African-American male who is brought to counseling by his mother Janet. Jamal presents as quiet and reserved. Janet shares that Jamal has become increasingly more anxious and depressed since starting his freshman year of high school. Though Jamal has denied being bullied, Janet describes his last school year as “traumatic” for Jamal as he was bullied for being bisexual. Most days after school, Jamal isolates himself in his room and becomes angry when family members try to engage him. Janet further shares her disappointment about Jamal\’s lack of interest in attending church or family gatherings which Janet explains “was always something he enjoyed.”
During the first few sessions, you notice that Jamal hesitates when answering questions, is vague with his responses, and tends to avoid conversations about his sexual orientation or past bullying episodes. After about three months into weekly counseling, Jamal discloses that he has struggled with his sexual orientation and gender identity for “as long as I can remember.” Reluctantly, he shares that his school friends refer to him as “Jamie” and that neutral pronouns (they, them) are preferred pronouns.
Please refer to the ALGBTIC Competencies for Counseling Transgender ClientsLinks to an external site.to answer the following prompts.
1.) Please choose two (2) relevant codes from each of the follow sub-sections in the above document (total of 4):
Human Growth and Development
Social and Cultural Foundations
Please reflect on how these codes may be relevant and useful to this case study and why you selected these particular codes? Is there additional information that would be useful to you as the counselor that is missing here in the case study?
2.) Please choose one (1) relevant code from each of the follow sub-sections in the above document (total of 3):
Professional Orientation
Helping Relationships
One other heading of your choice (Career and Lifestyle Development; Allies; Assessment, etc.).
Please reflect on how these codes may be relevant and useful to you as a counselor and how you may follow through with the competencies you selected. Is there additional information that would be useful to you as the counselor that is missing here in the above case study?
Further instructions:
You do not have to type the question prompt. Please type the code you are reflecting first prior to your response. Paper should be between 2 pages in length (of content; not including title page or reference page). Please answer questions fully and completely. This paper does not have to be in APA format (no references needed) unless you reference a source outside of the documented above.
Paper Format: APA
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