Becoming a Marriage, Family and Child Counselor: Notes from a Chicano

Jose Luis Flores*

Becoming a licensed Mawiage, Family and Child Counselor (MF’CC) in Cali- fornia is presented from a Chicano’s perspective based on the author’s own training. He reports that 1) there is a need for Chicanos trained extensively in marriage and family counseling to serve the large Mexican American pcvpula- twn; 2) MFCC is a growing profession yet few Chicanos are entering it; 3) few Chicano professionals are involved in the training, teaching and superwision of marriage and family counselors; and 4) the state licensing board and the two marriage and family counselors’ associations do not &ntaJi,l minority counsel- ors rwr those who provkie Spnish speaking services.

There are few Chicanos in our profession, yet there is a great need for them. In the greater Los Angeles area alone, where I live, the Hispanic population will make up one quarter of the total population in the near future. Those of Mexican descent will number almost two million, half of whom speak Spanish only (not including the un- known thousands of undocumented residents, also monolingual). This creates a tremen- dous need for Chicanos in our profession.

By “Chicano” I refer to someone born and/or raised as an American of Mexican- born descendants (bicultural), who is fluent in both English and Spanish (bilingual). The term “Chicano” is acquiring acceptance within the Mexican American community. It signifies strong ethnic pride and a commitment to promoting a greater understanding of the Mexican American and in increasing the betterment of this group both socially and politically. For professionals it is also a commitment to providing services that are sensitive and responsive to the social, economic and cultural needs of the Mexican American.

By “our profession” I refer to the collective professionals who practice marriage and family counseling. These professionals come from a variety of disciplines sharing a common interest in the theory and practice of relationship counseling. The profession is presently in its infancy with an increasing growth both in numbers and in recognition. There are, however, very few Chicanos entering this profession. I offer these notes on my training and practice as a MFCC to provide an understanding as to why Chicanos do not enter this profession and of what it is like for those that do; and secondly, to ex- press the need for bilingual/ bicultural counselors and cross-cultural training in this pro- fession. I conclude with some comments on the benefits in having more Chicanos involved in this field.

*Jose Luis Flora, M.A., is a Supervisor, Spanish Speaking Training and Counseling Center, California Family Study Center, 4400 Riverside Drive, Burbank, Ca., 91505.

October 1979 JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY 17

Decision to Become a Marriage, Family and Child Counselor

My decision in 1973 to become a MFC Counselor was received quite appropriately by those who knew me with puzzlement, doubt, concern and sympathy. There were sev- eral good reasons why such a decision would be questioned: 1) MFC counselors were not highly recognized by the public and were viewed as the lowest in the hierarchy of the helping professions; 2) the MFCC state license in California was regarded as an “easy thing to get” because of its “inferior” requirements and examinations; 3) MFC was not recognized as a mental health profession in the state and counties’ health systems; 4) private counseling agencies showed employment preference to psychologists and social workers over MFCC’s; 5) it was evident that most MFC Counselors could not make a living in private practice alone; 6) there were limited programs offering training exclu- sively in MFC counseling.

For a Chicano who was fluently bilingual, the decision to become a MFCC made even less sense. Job availability in the Los Angeles area was abundant for Chicano psy- chologists and social workers. A master’s degree in social work was especially desirable because of the great demand in both public and private agencies for bilin- guaVbicultura1 social workers.

Furthermore, affirmative action was in full swing in 1973 mandating equal educa- tional opportunities for minorities. Several large universities had special programs recruiting minorities into their master’s programs in social work. Special training pro- grams were developed through NIMH funds to provide Chicano students in social work placement and clinical experience in the barrios (Gonzales, 1976). There was nothing similar in terms of recruitment, placement and job opportunities to attract Chicanos to- wards a degree and a career in MFCC.

My decision to become a MFC Counselor resulted from working in a county outpa- tient mental health center located in the ba& of East Los Angeles and serving prima- rily Mexican Americans (Flores, 1978). Of the numerous people that were seen there for psychiatric and emotional problems, the majority were reacting to marital and familial conflicts. Some marriage and family therapy was offered, but from whatever theoretical orientation the various mental health professionals had been trained and in a learn-as- you-do approach. Most of the treatment focused on the intrapersonal process in individ- ual and group sessions, and not on the interpersonal process in conjoint or family ses- sions. My experience working in this setting impressed upon me both the need for relationship counseling and for professionals trained specifically in marital and familial relationships.

Furthermore, the need for such specialists was compounded by the need for bilin- gual Chicano counselors in this locale. The Mexican American individual, in presenting himself with an emotional problem, frequently involved those around him, especially his family. This cultural phenomenon had been recognized extensively in the literature (Edgerton and Karno, 1971; Keefe and Casas, 1978), and i t was quite apparent with the Mexican Americans treated at the center. The other bilingual/bicultural professionals were certainly aware of the need to consider the social and familial systems of the Mex- ican American, yet relationship counseling focusing on the marital unit or the family system was not widely practiced. Several staff members admitted having little training in marriage and family counseling and, thus, were hesitant to apply it.

Working in this mental health center I concluded that there was a great need for Chicanos trained in marriage and family therapy with its own specialized theoretical orientation and therapeutic approach. I was drawn by the need and the challenge of being trained as such.

18 JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY October 1979

Becoming a Marriage, Family and Child Counselor

B q m m s in MFCC. Becoming a MFC Counselor required the academic degree necessary to apply for the state license in MFCC. Several graduate programs offered a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology or Social Sciences which fulfilled this requirement. However, for the majority of these programs, getting the state license was a secondary gain and focusing on MFC training was not a primary concern.

I looked for a program in which 1) the primary emphasis was in the training of MFC Counselors; 2) the theoretical orientation focused on interpersonal diagnosis and intervention; 3) the staff was dedicated to the profession of marriage and family coun- seling and involved in its various associations and organizations; 4) a clinical experience and supervision in counseling families, marriages and children was provided; and, 5) the students’ academic and clinical training as well as their personal growth was held to be important.

In short, I wanted a graduate program that trained students in marriage, family and child counseling not only to acquire their degree and be eligible for licensure, but also to embrace MFCC as a profession.

There was certainly no recruitment or particular encouragement a t that time for minorities to enter this field. I heard about the program I finally enrolled in simply by luck! I t was quite evident from the student population that few Chicanos (or other mi- nority members) entered this profession. Of the several hundred students in my pro- gram, there were a handful of Latins and even less who spoke Spanish. I was the only one who identified himself as Chicano. This two-year master’s program attracted prima- rily students from middle and upper-middle class backgrounds who were changing ca- reers or were starting a late career.

Educational philosophy and orientation. Some of the educational orientation and training used in the program reflected the social values of the economically stable and the cognitive processes of the educated. This was true of the academic material presented and of those presenting it, of the philosophical orientation, and of the various therapeutic modalities professed by practicing professionals. I t was disturbing to me how several of the modalities and theories that would spring up and become popular made little sense to the needs of the population I was counseling. For example: I re- member when attending a class in the use of the intensive journal (Progoff, 1975) get- ting excited over the idea of a written dialogue as a form of therapy. Immediately I thought about the possibility of applying this technique with my clients only to quickly realize that my clients had no time to sit down and write or simply did not know how to read or write!

Most of the presented material was even less applicable to my clients who spoke only Spanish. Personality tests or inventories, rarely ever translated, could not be used; helpful reading material suggested to other clients as a therapeutic aid were not avail- able in Spanish. Out of necessity I made up my own translation of the Parent-Adult- Child model of Transactional Analysis. I t took me years of searching in the United States and in Mexico to finally find the translated version of I’m OK-You’re OK (at $8.95 in paperback!).

My concern, however, with the material taught extended beyond language and cul- ture. Theory and practice in marriage and family therapy seemed to be focusing away from the basic relational needs that concern the economically poor and educationally unsophisticated (Aponte, 1976). Increasing specialization in therapeutic styles, vocabu- lary and theory dealt with issues, values and needs of the socially and educationally so- phisticated.

October 1979 JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY 19

Workshops, Conferences and Conventions. The same held true for the material presented in workshops and conferences. I found few speakers addressing themselves to social, cultural or interpersonal issues applicable to the population I was counseling. Moreover, the realization that I was the only Chicano out of all those assembled in MFC conferences was enough to cause me to ask myself: what am I doing here? I would wonder if Mexican American clients had similar reactions in a counseling envi- ronment without familiar faces.

Practicum. The master’s program did not offer me counseling experience with mi- nority clients. The clients were white, middle and upper-middle class families. There was definitely no Spanish speaking counseling provided.

There were several public and private counseling facilities that needed Chicano in- terns for their monolingual clients, and offered practicum experience on a no-pay, vol- unteer basis. Any arrangement with these was made totally by the student without any formal connection with the training program. In any case, the need for bilin- gual/bicultural counselors existed in numerous facilities that could provide Chicano stu- dents in MFCC with the practicum experience of treating Mexican Americans.

Getting supervision from a Chicano professional was a different matter. I t was dif- ficult finding a MFCC-licensed Chicano. I wanted a supervisor that could supervise me in Spanish with regard, for example, to the audio-recordings of some of my sessions with Spanish-speaking clients, and who had experience counseling this population. I managed to find a non-Chicano psychiatrist and a licensed Chicano social worker to pro- vide me with this type of supervision.

State licensure. The whole process of getting the state license was indicative of the dearth of Chicano involvement in this profession. First, there were few licensed Chica- nos to whom Chicano trainees could turn for Spanish-speaking and culturally related supervision to acquire the necessary hours for state licensure. Secondly, out of the hun- dreds of candidates that were present with me when taking the written and oral ex- ams, I was the only Chicano. When I took the orals, none of the examiners were Chicano. Thirdly, the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners had only one Chicano as a member.

I t surprised me that in applying for the license, the Board did not ask for ethnic origin or secondary language spoken. Not requesting ethnicity from applicants certainly avoided claims of discrimination, but i t made i t difficult to identify MFCC Chicanos when searching for one, and i t made it statistically impossible to calculate how many licensed MFCC’s were Chicanos. In addition, not requesting second language spoken from applicants made i t difficult to identify and calculate the available resource of Spanish speaking MFCC’s for the greatly increasing Spanish speaking population.

Professional organizations. When joining the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and the California Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (CAMFC), they too did not identify minority applicants nor did they inquire about second language usage. I asked the secretary of one of these associations why applicants were not asked if they spoke Spanish. She replied: “Because we never thought it was necessary.”

The directories, therefore, of these associations do not identify members who are multi or bi-lingual. They are useless to those seeking non-English speaking services. In addition, the associations could not identify the number of Chicanos in their member- ship. The directories identified those members with Spanish surnames (very few at that), but they did not distinguish those of Mexican descent, or those from mixed mar- riage, or even those who spoke Spanish.

While writing these notes I received a phone call that clearly demonstrates this point. The caller was a Chicano identifying himself as a lawyer; he lived over 60 miles

20 JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY October 1979

from Los Angeles. When he requested an appointment, I asked him how he heard about me. He replied that I was the only Chicano marriage counselor he could find. After a long search he finally contacted AAMFT who gave him a list of members with Spanish surnames. Noting where he lived I commented that it would take him more than an hour of driving to see me. “I know,” he said. “My wife and I have discussed this and have agreed that we need a Chicano marriage counselor no matter what.”

Working as a Marriage, Family and Child Counselor

There were no employment positions in Los Angeles County’ nor in State health services that recognized the MFCC license or profession. My degree and license did not open new opportunities for me in the County’s mental health services where I had been employed for four years. My professional identity and expertise were recognized by the other staff professionals. I was able to provide limited counseling, supervision, and in- service training in marriage and family counseling.

Since graduating I have offered classes and workshops in counseling Mexican American families. The favorable response has confirmed the great need and desire for information on counseling couples and families of the Mexican culture.

The graduate program from which I received my master’s degree hired me to de- velop a Spanish speaking counseling program in their center. The objective was to offer services to this population and a t the same time provide training and supervision to their Spanish speaking students and interns.

I have not felt prepared to venture into private practice although there has been a tremendous need for Chicano MFC practioners in all of Los Angeles County. In private practice a Chicano MFCC would have to offer low-fee counseling in order to serve the majority of Mexican Americans who could not afford standard MFCC fees. (S)he would, of course, not be able to collect Medical.

Five years after my decision to become a MFCC, the lack of Chicano involvement in every segment of the MFC profession remains virtually the same. I cannot substanti- ate this statistically. The two best potential statistical sources-the state licensing board and the professional associations-cannot produce ethnic breakdown of the li- censed MFCC’s or of their membership since they do not acquire that information. The number of members of the two MFC associations with Spanish surnames provides some statistical indication:

AAMFC 1978 Register

CAMFC 1978-1979 Directory

The low percentage of Spanish-surnames does not provide a representation of the total Spanish speaking population in California. This percentage should be of concern to our profession because if i t does not increase sufficiently “the MFC profession could find itself outside looking in, because i t has not prepared professionals capable of serving the public” (Cox, 1978, p. 22).

My concern to increase the number of Chicanos in this profession is not to express that only Chicanos can effectively serve the large Mexican American population. How- ever, they should be able to choose from an accessible pool of Chicano professionals who can offer them a similar language and/or similar cultural or social identification in de- livering MFC services.

Furthermore, my concern for more Chicano involvement goes beyond the need for Chicano practitioners; such involvement and input will help direct the profession to-

(California Clinical Members): 9 out of 595.

13 out of 1389. (including student members):

October 1979 JOURNAL OFMARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY 21

wards a sharper awareness and increasing sensitivity to the clinical, social and cultural needs of the Mexican American community a t large.

Chicano involvement will also increase research in the dynamics of the marital and familial units of the Mexican American, and provide greater application of theory and technique in the counseling of the Mexican American family. The extensive literature in regard to mental health and the Spanish speaking has not produced a single article dealing with marriage and family counseling with the Mexican American (Padilla and Aranda, 1974; Padilla, et. al., 1978).

Greater Chicano involvement will require an equal effort from Chicano profession- als and the profession itself through its associations. Both must pool resources and work together in identifying interested Chicano professionals and in increasing the number of Chicano therapists. Both will then be responding to the need for bilingual/bicultural marriage and family counselors. I hope these notes will help stimulate and initiate this necessary effort.

REFERENCES

Aponte, H.J. Underorganization in the poor family. In P.J. Guerin. (Ed.) Family thempy: Theory

Cox, R.H. The impact of the Spanish cultural minority crises on marriage and family therapy in

Edgerton, R.B. and Karno, M. Mexican-American bilingualism and the perception of mental illness.

Flores, J.L. The utilization of a community mental health service by Mexican Americans. Internu- tional Journul of social Psychiatry, 1978,24, in press.

Gonzales, J.D. El Centro: An NIMH funding report. Rockville, Maryland: National Institute of Mental Health, 1976, DHEW Publication No. (ADM)78-398.

Keefe, S.E. and Casas, J.M. Family and mental health among Mexican Americans: Some considera- tions for mental health services. In J.M. Casas and S.E. Keefe (Eds.). Family and mental health in t h Mexican American community. Los Angeles: Spanish Speaking Mental Health Research Center, UCLA Monograph No. 7, 1978.

Padilla, A.M. and Aranda, P. Latino mental health: Bibliogmphy and abstracts. Rockville, Mary- land: National Institute of Mental Health, 1974, DEW Publication No. (ADM)76-317.

Padilla, A.M., Olmedo, E.L., Lopez, S. and Perez, R. Hispanic mental health biblhgmphy II. Los Angeles: Spanish Speaking Mental Health Research Center, UCLA Monograph No. 6, 1978.

Progoff, I. At a Journal Wwkshp. New York: Dialogue House Library, 1975.

and pmctice. New York: Gardner Press, Inc., 1976.

California, The Marriuge and Family ColLnselors Quarterly, 1978, 8(3), 20-22.

Archives of General Psychiatry, 1971,24(3), 286-290.

NOTES

'The Conciliation Court of Los Angeles County's Superior Court had limited positions as Family Counselors that did recognize the MFCC degree and license.

22 JOURNAL OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY October 1979