It is estimated that between 3 to 10 of the

It is estimated that between 3% to 10% of the adolescent and adult populations have
non-dominant sexual orientations, (Alderson, 2010), such as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgendered, and two-spirited (LGBTT), and there is even less information publicly
available about gender identity diversity. Th ese trends for selected populations support

280 ETHICS-BASED ISSUES AND CASES
the rationale for counsellors to be prepared for working with people who have diverse
cultural identities. In the Canadian context, counsellors are invited to consider how
Canada is a nation that has celebrated multiculturalism through o ffi cial policies
and honoured bilingualism as part of our national identity. However, the experiences
of many individuals from non-dominant groups in Canadian society suggest that their
lived experiences are far from the public image of an inclusive society (Arthur & Collins,
2010a). Counsellors have a critical role to play in supporting social inclusion and in
helping clients to overcome some of the social inequities that contribute to mental
health concerns, and limit access to resources that support positive health and social
functioning. To that end, counsellors need to consider what it means to practice ethically
Th e Canadian Code of Ethics (2007) of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy
Association (CCPA) highlights the ethical imperatives for counsellors to be sensitive to
diversity and to respect diversity.
Th is chapter is intended to support discussion about how to apply those principles in
counselling practices. Th e perspective taken in this chapter is grounded in our model of
Culture-Infused Counselling, (Arthur & Collins, 2010a; Collins & Arthur, 2007, 2010a,
2010b) from which four domains of multicultural competency have been developed: a)

ETHICS-BASED ISSUES AND CASES 281
The Code of Ethics reflects
such values as integrity,
competence, responsibility
and an understanding of
and respect for the cultural
diversity of society. It is part
of a social contract, based on
attitudes of mutual respect
and trust by which society
supports the autonomy of the
profession in return for the
commitment of its members
to act ethically in the provi-
sion of professional services.
Views of Cultural Diversity
Th ere are a multitude of de fi nitions regarding the meaning
of culture (Schulz, Sheppard, Lehr, & Shepard , 2006).
De fi nitions of culture have included dimensions such as
worldview, beliefs, and values; rituals, practices, customs,
or norms; social, religious, or spiritual traditions; language,
history, geographical locations; and social, economic, or
political structures (Arthur & Collins, 2010a). Sue and Sue
(1990) suggested that culture refers to “all those things
that people have learned to do, believe, value, and enjoy
in their history. It is the totality of ideals, beliefs, skills,
society is born” (p. 35). Culture is emphasized as a learning
process; therefore, it is possible for people to shi ft their
understanding and practices, unlearning some things and
adopting new perspectives and practices.