Identifying Best Practice Principles in Working with the Inupiat Eskimo: Building Trust and Beyond

摘要

The authors present an examination of established models on trust building issues in multicultural counseling and apply them with the Inupiat Eskimo population. Drawing on the cultural strengths of the Inupiat communities, counselors traverse challenging cultural barriers and develop positive working relationships with families and individual clients within the communities of Alaska. Cultural competence is discussed and guidelines for multicultural counseling are provided. The principles outlined in this paper, whilst developed in this instance in a particular location and cultural context, have relevance for other situations where counseling involving a minority is concerned. The overriding element is working at and maintaining trust, with this being the essential foundation upon which other counseling strategies are implemented.