Faculty News

Brenda Brown-Wright Speaks on Developing
Cross-Cultural Competency in Counseling

(From an article by Cathy Cowin in the Delaware Counselor News, Winter 2007,
Vol 1, Issue 4)

“Through a presentation at the Delaware Counseling Association General Meeting, January 12, 2007, Ms. Brown-Wright (Assistant Professor in the Behavioral Science Division at Wilmington University) gave a sensitive, but provocative insight into diversity issues. By using her own personal experiences as an African-American woman living in the White Anglo-European American culture, Ms. Brown-Wright was able to bring a clearer understanding of the importance of valuing the culture of those that we serve as mental health providers. Ms. Brown-Wright clarified that an individual is influenced by sub-cultural groups and that it is imperative that the counselor is aware of other factors that influence a person’s belief system. Gender, social class, race, ethnicity, disabled/nondisabled, religion and region affect behaviors. Cross-cultural competency recognizes the importance of all variables and understands behaviors may be normative for a particular group. Understanding the differences between cultures is essential in being effective as a counselor.”