A Professional School Counselor who is self-aware has the ability to effectively advocate for diverse populations. Self-awareness is a multi-culturally competency that all Professional School Counselors must posses. A counselor who is self-aware recognizes their own bias, understands the differences of others, is able to accept those differences, can identify diverse learning needs, can collaborate with diverse populations, and is able to critically evaluate their self to further multicultural education (Erford, 2017). A counselor must be able to understand their own beliefs and how these beliefs can negatively effect a student and their families. Understanding these bias allows counselors to become self-aware of the ways they may unintentionally pursue intervention methods that are not aligned with the population they are advocating for. A …show more content…
In order to be an advocate for change, I believe that you must understand cultural differences and recognize oppression. Understanding cultural differences allows for Professional School Counselors to see through barriers. Having the ability to deeply connect to the people you are serving, allows for you to be a stronger advocate. Being passionate to those who need you the most will also give you the strength to fight for what they need. In order to fully serve a particular population you have to know all aspects of them. This understanding creates a holistic stance that not just gives you footing for closing gaps, but it also increases the trust that the population places on you. Emotions, perceptions, and connectedness are sensations that humans often rely on for survival. These needs must be considered when working with all types of people. Everyone has different level of these sensations that are driven by their, experiences, ethics, and culture. To reach each one you have to understand and be sensitive to what is important to