Personal Reflection PaperBefore this course, there were many rumors about how it was progressing and what would be taught. So initially, not too long ago, these rumors were floating around in my head and created a sort of stigma around learning about social context in clinical practice. I hope that by the end of the term, this series of rumors will have been dispelled and that I will have learned a lot to apply to my current and future clinical practice.Relational AssessmentSocial ContextRace and ethnicity can influence the experience of 'a customer towards himself and others in a variety of ways. . A client's race and ethnicity can influence their experience in therapy through the set of beliefs they bring into the room. This set of beliefs and customs influences how he views therapy and whether he is motivated to participate in it. If the client's culture generally does not seek therapy for their problems, or even believe in mental illness, it is likely that the client will be apprehensive about trusting or speaking to the clinician. If the clinician is not aware of this possibility, he or she may wonder why the client is in therapy if the client is unwilling to talk or allow rapport to develop. A responsible clinician will take this into account. Cultural meanings of gender may play an important role in the client's therapeutic effects. A female client who is in therapy with her male partner may not have the “right” to speak out against what he says if she disagrees; Some cultures forbid a woman from going against her male partner or even speaking in the presence of a stranger, who could be the clinician. On the other hand, a male client with the above cultural custom may view a female clinician negatively...... middle of paper...... and her needs, but should also focus on the needs of his partner. goals and needs. It's great to be ambitious and want things in life for yourself, but if a partner shares these wants and needs, it's also imperative to keep these desires in the client's mind. A client is more likely to notice a partner's needs and feelings if he or she has the ability to be sensitive to another person's needs; some clients may not have this capability. Works Cited Almeida, RV, Dolan-Del, VK, & Parker, L. (2008). Transformative family therapy: Just families in a just society. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Knudson-Martin, C. and Mahoney, AR (2009). Couples, gender and power: creating change in intimate relationships. New York: Springer. Tatum, B. (2003). Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? : revised edition. New York: basic books.