Part OneThe population of the United States continues to increase in racial and ethnic diversity, so it is pertinent for mental health professionals to tailor their services to the needs of various cultural populations (Constantine, Kindaichi, Arorash, Donnelly, & Jung, 2002). The realization that ethnic minorities suffer negative consequences from being oppressed has led to the pedagogy of multicultural competence and has helped counselors identify effective strategies for generating social change (Hage, 2003; Vera & Speight, 2003). The social norms that cause these injustices are identified, allowing ethnic minorities to constitute themselves and embrace empowerment. Furthermore, this awareness helps prevent therapists' biases from playing potentially oppressive roles arising from their worldview and is based on understanding the diverse life experiences of their clients (Sue & Sue, 2012). Counselors who are committed to social justice value fairness and equity in the treatment and rights of marginalized individuals. According to Sue & Sue (2012), “an enlightened approach that recognizes potential oppression in manifestation, diagnosis, etiology, and treatment is best achieved by adopting a social justice approach,” which can occur by challenging traditional models of therapy ( Kindle Location 2919). Cultural perspectives, sociopolitical influences, and externalities can shape how individuals formulate their local locus of control/responsibility, which in turn constructs their worldview. Mental health professionals who are not multiculturally competent may interpret socially devalued groups who exhibit very strong external control beliefs “as inherently apathetic, procrastinating, lazy, depressed, or anxious for … middle of paper … normative framework: implications for school counselors and educators. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 1(2), 14-30.Hage, S. M. (2003). Reaffirming the unique identity of psychological counseling: opting for the "road less traveled." The Counseling Psychologist, 31, 555-563.Hassouneh, D. M., & Kulwicki, A. (2007). Mental health, discrimination, and trauma in Arab Muslim women living in the United States: A pilot study. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 10, 257-262.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13694670600630556.Lewis, Arnold, House & Toporek (2003). Advocacy skills. ACA Board of Directors. Retrieved November 21, 2013, from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/Competencies/Advocacy_Competencies.pdfSue, Derald Wing; Sue, David (10/07/2012). Counseling culturally diverse people: Theory and practice (Wiley Desktop Editions). Wiley. Kindle edition.