Determinism

Ethics and Determinism

Multicultural counselors often strive to promote equity and advocacy for individual and social change. Counseling theories are based on underlying assumptions of determinism and free will and impact the belief in a person’s autonomy and ability to choose and change in life. The counseling theoretical orientation should not conflict with the client’s worldview and beliefs regarding determinism, free will, and their beliefs in their ability to control themselves and change their behaviors. Multicultural counselors should be self-aware and not inflict their beliefs or worldviews on their counseling clients. Furthermore, counselors should use culturally relevant counseling and advocacy interventions that are evidence based and aligned with the client’s worldview. Therefore, counselors should examine their self-awareness around their beliefs in determinism and not impose their worldview on others. Many people in the United States do not believe in determinism, while people in collectivistic cultures (e.g., Singapore) tend to believe in determinism.

Theory and Determinism

Counseling theories such as Freudian psychoanalytic theory and B. F. Skinner’s behaviorism theory [Page 447]are grounded in determinism, whereas Adlerian, person-centered, gestalt, cognitive, and rational emotive behavioral therapy theories promote free will and a person’s ability to have autonomy and make changes in themselves. Humanistic theory aligns with social justice by espousing freedom for all, eradication of privilege and inequity, and advocating for empathy and compassion when facing the challenges of counseling both the oppressors and the oppressed. The cognitive theory of oppression is a specific example of a multicultural counseling theory designed to increase psychological freedom from oppression and address discriminatory individuals and systems. This theoretical approach works to discredit and negate the dysfunctional thoughts that are forced on people by oppressive individuals and systems, invalidates and discredits the original sources of the beliefs, and empowers clients to develop their own beliefs on a path toward freedom. This theoretical approach focuses on the precursors of therapeutic change and may be applied across a variety of diverse, oppressed individuals or groups including racial minorities, immigrants, women, and the LGBTQI+ population.

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