Cross-cultural Competency: Understanding and Working with Arabs and Middle Easterners
- Breakout Session
- Business Building 253
- October 5 2019 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cultures are mixing more than ever in our world today. The waves of migration and the influx of displaced refugees are increasing everywhere. People from various countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are becoming visible and well established in the broader and regional West. Practitioners, providers and helping-professionals are in greater need to better understand these populations and gain practical skills to effectively work with them. Yet, there are a lot of confusion and anxiety about who are the Arabs, Muslims and Middle Easterners? How large and diverse is that population in North America? This workshop will focus on understanding their backgrounds, mentalities, psychological needs, religious cultures, social challenges (both the ones they face and represent), adaptation-assimilation struggles and civil contributions. We will correct some misconceptions about Arabs Middle Easterners and highlight some of their cultural dynamics, mental-emotional functioning, communication styles, social values and generational differences. We will provide some practical guidelines and therapeutic tools on how to best work with them in a caring and effective way.
