Respond to two colleagues in the following ways:

• Compare your approach for working with the student to theirs.
• Explain how the larger social environment (e.g., systemic racism, acts of racial violence and discrimination that get national attention) contributes to the experience of everyday microaggressions.

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Explain the potential impacts of ethnic and racial microaggressions on adolescent psychological development.

Ethnic and racial microaggression is the subtle racial discrimination or racist comments or gestures that people may participate in or experience. This type of treatment negatively impacts a person in many different ways. Adolescents are in that identity phase, so they tend to identify with what they are told about themselves or how they are viewed, Zastrow et al., (2019). When they are treated as less than, they start to believe they are less than; their behaviors are then portrayed as less than. According to Zastrow et al. (2019), the crime rates among minority adolescents are higher due to discrimination, lack of resources, and little effort invested into their lives.

Adolescents are more vulnerable to microaggression now because of the use of social media. Not only are they experiencing it in school, neighborhoods, and other community settings, but if they spend any amount of time online, they are subject to experiencing some form of racism there, English et al., (2020). Studies show that adolescents being exposed to ethnic/racial discrimination on an increased level has caused more anxiety to arise among the youth, English et al., (2020).

Describe how you would work with the student to curb these negative impacts. Draw on the values and ethics of the profession in your response.

I would assure Alex that she could do anything she set out to do. Although what was said to Alex may cause her to feel inadequate, I suggest that she not allow that to hinder her from trying out for the cheerleading squad. I would allow her to express how she feels and see what I can do to help her now and in the future. During these times, active listening, open-ended questions for clarification, empathy, and warmth are essential in dealing with this situation. Being mindful of eye contact and body language, verbal versus non-verbal communication is essential. Enough harm has been done, and our task is not to cause any more. Also, letting the person know that what is said in the sessions stays in the session unless it is something reported that consists of someone at risk of harm is beneficial to rapport building.

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• Reflect on the practice skills you demonstrated in the video. 

The practice skills I demonstrated during my video are active listening, encouragement, and empathy. During the video, I ensured Alex knew before we started that everything we discussed during our session would be confidential so she could speak freely as much as she liked. I also ensured I actively listened to the issues and problems she was experiencing at school. I encouraged Alex that she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to and that I want her to know that everything she feels regarding the situation is valid and she has every right to feel that way.

• Explain the potential impacts of ethnic and racial microaggressions on psychological development in adolescence.

The potential impacts of ethical and racial microaggressions on adolescent psychological development can cause many problems in today’s society. Dealing with these things can cause depression, anxiety, and a wide variety of different emotions. Racial microaggressions can occur verbally or nonverbally. The term self-concept refers to the positive and negative thoughts and feelings that one has toward oneself. It is often used interchangeably with such terms (Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019).

• Describe how you would work with the student to curb these negative impacts. Draw on the values and ethics of the profession in your response.

I would encourage students to deal with negative thoughts by letting them know they can achieve anything they want. I would also like to see if they would be interested in Psychotherapy to get the tools and skills to navigate through the issues they face regarding negative impacts. During this stage, I want my clients to know I can help them with whatever resources and things they need while dealing with negative results.