Multicultural Counseling: A Mosaic, Not a Melting Pot

Living in South Florida you commonly hear the term “melting pot” when referring to culture, this phrase simply combines all individuality, losing aspects of uniqueness. Conversely, a mosaic, allows you to not only look at each individual’s culture, but also the bigger picture of how each culture fits into the societal culture. Couples can create a mosaic of their individual cultures to create a new one, highlighting each culture’s distinctiveness, joining them in a way they can work together. This presentation will focus on how therapists can work with couples of diverse cultures, and allow each culture to be represented in the relationship by creating a mosaic of a culture that works for the couple.

Learning Objectives: 

Attendants will expand their cultural competency and learn how to apply new techniques in sessions with multicultural couples that will provide more effective outcomes to couples and family therapy.

(1)    Expand awareness of cultural competency.

(2)    Expand awareness of one’s own cultural biases.

(3)    Expand awareness of stigmas associated with predominate cultures in South Florida and how we as therapist can work with these stigmas to integrate effective couples therapy with the clients’ culture.

(4)    Articulate understanding of multicultural mosaic counseling.

(5)    Apply concepts of multicultural mosaic counseling.

About the Presenter:

Maria Davis-Pierre is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who currently owns the private practice Day by Day Therapeutic Services; Maria is also the Clinical Director at Sobriety Now treatment center. Maria has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and couples dealing with issues of grief and loss. Maria also specialized in counseling couples and families from a multicultural perspective. Maria graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Science in Sociology and went on to obtain a Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. Maria is currently working on completing her Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Nova as well.