Counseling the Culturally Diverse. Laura Smith L.

      1 Make the “Invisible” Visible. Most insensitive and hurtful comments and actions are outside the level of awareness of the perpetrator. Naiveté and innocence make it very difficult for offenders to change, if they do not perceive their actions as prejudicial. Microintervention tactics aimed at making the “invisible” visible take many forms. Undermining or naming hidden communications is an example of one of these tactics. For example, a White worker says to a third generation Asian American employee “you speak excellent English!” The hidden communication here may be “you are a perpetual alien in your own country. You are not a true American.” In using a microintervention tactic, the target responds, “Thank you. I hope so. I was born here.” Another response may be “Thank you John, you do too.”This tactic may seem simplistic, but it does several things. It acknowledges the conscious compliment of the perpetrator, lowers defensiveness for the comeback to follow, subtly undermines the unspoken assumption of being a foreigner, and plants a seed of possible future awareness of false assumptions. With some modification, this type of response can also be made by White allies or bystanders, as well, who hear or see the transgression.

      2 Disarm the Microaggression. A more direct means of dealing with microaggression is to disarm them by stopping or deflecting the comments or actions through expressing disagreement, challenging what was said or done, and/or pointing out its harmful impact. One technique is to state emphatically, “Ouch!” This is a very simple tactic intended to (a) indicate to the coworker that they have said something offensive, (b) force the person to consider the impact and meaning of what they have said or done, and (c) facilitate a possible more enlightened conversation and exploration of biases. Some examples are the following. Those people all look alike. “Ouch!” He only got the job because he is Black. “Ouch!” I am putting you on the finance committee, because you people (Asian Americans) are good at that. “Ouch!”Another tactic found to be useful is to interrupt the communication and redirect it. During the course of a conversation when a biased and misinformed statement is made, simply interrupt it by directly or indirectly stopping the monologue, and communicating your disagreement or displeasure. Examples of verbal microinterventions are these: Whoa, let's not go there. Danger, quick sand ahead! I don't want to hear the punchline, or that type of talk.

      3 Educate the Perpetrator. Most microinterventions are not meant to be punitive, but rather educational. The ultimate goal is to reach and educate people by engaging them in a dialogue about what they have done that has proven offensive. One of the most powerful educational tactics is to help microaggressors differentiate between good intent and harmful impact. People often claim that I did not intend it that way. To overcome the blockage, it is often helpful to refocus the discussion on impact instead of intent. Some common statements may be the following. I know you meant well, but that really hurts. I know you meant it as a joke, but it really offended Aisha (or me). I know you want the Latinas on this team to succeed, but always putting them on hospitality committees will only prevent them from developing leadership skills. I know you kid around a lot, but think how your words affect others.

      4 Seek External Reinforcement or Support. There are times when individual efforts to respond to microaggressions might be unwise or dangerous. Seeking help from institutional authorities is often dictated when (a) a strong power differential exists between perpetrator and target, (b) the microaggression is blatant and immediately harmful, (c) it would be risky to respond personally, or (d) institutional changes must be implemented. For example, a discriminatory act by a manager may best be handled by reporting to a higher authority or seeking an advocate with the same social/employment standing as the perpetrator within the company. Using external sources are meant to allow targets, allies, and bystanders to express their emotions in ways that are safe, to connect with others who validate and affirm their being, and to offer advice and suggestions.

      1 Be aware that racial, gender, and sexual orientation microaggressions are a constant reality in the lives of culturally diverse groups and take a major psychological toll.

      2 Be aware that everyone has engaged in and continues to engage in unintentional microaggressions. For helping professionals, these microaggressions may serve as impediments to effective multicultural counseling and therapy (MCT).

      3 Entertain the notion that culturally diverse groups may have a more accurate perception of reality than you do, especially when it comes to issues of racism, sexism, or heterosexism. Try to understand worldviews and sociocultural realities, and don't be quick to dismiss or negate racial, gender, and sexual orientation issues.

      4 If your culturally different client implies that you have engaged in a microaggressive remark or behavior, engage in a nondefensive discussion and try to clarify the situation by showing you are open and receptive to conversations on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Remember, it's how the therapist “recovers,” not how he or she “covers up” that is important.

      5 Familiarize yourself with the literature on microinterventions and the anti‐bias actions that targets, allies, and bystanders can take to disarm them and to contribute to a sense of empowerment and self‐efficacy.