The faces of cultural bias Cultural bias comes in many forms and is derived from a variety of experiences. This phenomenon usually takes place at an unconscious level, and it's really the anger and frustration that members of ethnic minority groups feel toward individuals of the dominant group. These feelings come from the fact that the dominant group has engaged in years, and in many cases centuries, of oppression and brutality toward ethnic minority groups. Historical hostility is a particularly grave concern because it has the potential to transform the counseling relationship into a power struggle, and it needn't be overt to be damaging. Experts agree that even if the hostility or bias remains below the surface, therapeutic effectiveness is likely to be compromised.
Clients can sense when counselors are presenting themselves in incongruent ways.
They can tell when there is no warmth behind the smile. That leads to distrust and that will immediately destroy the therapeutic relationship. Historical hostility is a familiar phenomenon within the multicultural counseling community, evidence that bias among minority counselors is becoming a growing concern. In fact, it is referred to in variety of ways. Some counselor educators believe historical hostility is a natural, albeit unfortunate, stage minorities must pass through on their way to developing a well-rounded racial identity.