Counselor characteristics such as ethnicity, culture, race, language, and attitudes can influence the degree to which clients seek mental health care and remain in the care of a mental health professional. Consequently, factors such as these may influence the degree to which counselors are viewed as credible and trustworthy mental health providers.

Counselor–Client Match

In all mental health settings, but especially when the ethnicity of the counselor does not match that of the client, it is important to set aside any personal biases in favor of treatment modalities that may lead to favorable treatment outcomes.

For example, within some cultural groups, various complaints that are based in spirituality and religious practices may be legitimate and explored as part of the treatment process. Thus, similar symptoms may hold different ...

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