Cultural Considerations in Counseling Men of Color

Many factors contribute to and affect masculinity among men of color. This chapter points out that men of color experience various forms of marginalization and racism. Counselors are encouraged to consider the history, concepts of masculinity, and gender-role conflicts as affected by family, spirituality, education, employment, immigration, acculturation, discrimination, and social justice concerns, when working with men of color. Men of color from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds share a number of similarities in the development of masculine norms, the importance they place on religion/spirituality, and the development of gender roles. However, between and within these groups, differences in how these characteristics manifest and present are also evident. The importance of knowing a client's history aids in developing cultural competency and allowing infusion of this understanding directly into the session. Practitioners should also consider strengths-based approaches when working with men of color.