Cultural Background 1
Cultural Background Paper
Samantha Deenihan
School of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Liberty University
Abstract
In my essay I will be describing the background of my parents regarding to family culture and how this
background that I have impacts both personally and professionally as a counselor. I identify as an
Italian /Irish American. I personally have not had a hard time merging into the American society. As
counselors we are not allowed to discriminate our clients based on culture etc, we are here to help them
understand and work through such difficulties.
Cultural Background 2
Cultural Background
1. Like I stated above my family background is rooted of Italian and Irish cultures. This
cultural background has shaped my identify in great ways. My Italian side of my culture
brings a strong sense of community and ritual. Italian culture has emphasis on family
bonds, hospitality, culinary excellence, etc. (D’Acierno, 2021). Growing up I experiences
all these aspects plus so much for firsthand. We had frequent family gathering mainly on
Sundays after church for Sunday dinner. According to McGoldrick (2005), Italian-
American families maintain strong ties to extended family members with gatherings and
use this time to pass down traditions. These traditions can be from food to hosting
parties, to clothes etc. These gathering that we have often are warm, lots of talking and
communication and just a sense of love and belonging. On the other side I have Irish.
This side of my culture is all about storytelling, humor etc. McGoldrick (2005) talks about
how Irish families’ places significance on preserving history and fostering social
cohesion. Having those bedtime stories, learning about history it a way that I was always
connected to my culture. Music also is very special in the Irish culture. Music and dance
play a deep role in both formal and informal gatherings (Williams,2020). I remember
that countless times just dancing around my house growing up to traditional Irish music.
I first became aware of my culture/ heritage through family gatherings, celebrations,
relatives, stories etc. These customs became more and more apparent specifically during
holidays, family gatherings, where we had Italian food and music. From the beginning of
learning about my 2 cultural identities it was challenging because I was trying to
understand different traditions and values. But as I got older, I am braced the dual
heritage and cultures, and it allowed me to appreciate the diversity within them and the
different perspectives that boats of these cultures has to offer. In my family, our
communication patterns reflect a blend of the Italian expressiveness and Irish
storytelling. This means when we're talking, we are using a lot of gestures and facial
Cultural Background 3
expressions, which mainly is using our hands all over the place. Both of my Italian and
Irish cultures traditionally go with the familial roles and responsibilities. Meaning when
my grandparents were growing up my grandmother stayed home and watched my father
and family while my grandfather went to work. With, these rules have evolved
significantly overtime and they're not just the traditional gender roles anymore. Another
talked about value that I have in my family his marriage. Marriage is viewed as being a
sacred institution in both of my cultures and most of the time the ceremonies are
incorporating religious and cultural traditions. McGoldrick (2005) Noted that family life is
central to Italian and Irish identity which is emphasizing commitment, loyalty, and family
unity. Religion also causes significant role in both of my cultural identities. Catholicism is
deeply rooted traditions from Italian and Irish cultures. I grew up going to church every
Sunday and then having Sunday dinner with family afterwards.
2. Growing up with Italian Irish heritage and the culturally diverse region I have
encountered both similarities and differences with other cultures. Like many other
cultures Italian and Irish empisize family. This reminds me of the Latin cultures. I've had
several friends from the Spanish descent, and they are also always having family
gatherings, the family dinners, etc. Another similarly is the emphasis on tradition that
both the Italian and Irish cultures have. They place significant importance on festivals,
food, and I have been to several Mexican festivals that are embracing their culture and
watching aspects be passed down through generations. Some differences that I've
noticed are wile Italian and Irish cultures value expressive communication, some cultures
do not
use gestures as much and this can lead to miscommunications and misunderstanding
especially in busy settings. I had a friend that came from Polish culture, and they did not
really use as many gestures when they spoke so when I wouldn't use my hands to speak,
they would think that I was angry sometimes when I was just excited. Another difference
Cultural Background 4
that I've noticed are religious practices. Like I stated Catholicism is the dominant religion
from Italian Irish cultures, but I've had several friends that have Judaism as their
religious practice. When I would go to temple with them, I would not be able to
understand the Hebrew language amongst other things etc. Some positive experiences
that I've had are when I'm interacting with these other cultures it is broadening my
perspective How other cultures are also existing in this world. I love learning about new
cultures and see what we have in common but also where we differ. Sometimes there
are cultural misunderstandings or stereotypes that can create these barriers of how we
understand and see different cultures. This can lead to conflicts for challenges when you
want to build trust and report with other cultures. An example of this is my close friend
was from a Jamaican culture and they tend to have weapons in their house. My parents
did not understand that part of their culture, so I was not able to go over to her house
anymore to experience that.
3. Understanding my families Italian and Irish cultural background has influence from my
perspective on the importance of racial and cultural identity development for individuals
that are from various backgrounds. Hays and Erford (2023) discuss the cultural identity
development and revolves a complex process through which individuals navigate and
integrate their cultural backgrounds into their sense of self. Essentially this means that
we are taking our cultural backgrounds and making them a part of our identity. Growing
up I
was submerged in the traditions and values to both Italian and Irish cultures. These
cultures have instilled in their strong sense of identity and belonging. The Italian culture
again emphasize the importance of family. Being close to my family fostered that sense
of community and support that shaped how I understand interpersonal relationships in
loyalty. The Irish culture contributed a love for music in storytelling. Having that
emphasis on humor helped me cope with challenges by thinking of the lighter side of life
Cultural Background 5
and to always laugh. Understanding one's cultural identity is very important for several
reasons. One of the reasons is to understand yourself and self-esteem. Embracing your
culture and your heritage provides individuals the clear sense of who they are and
where they come from. This can help boost your confidence, validate your feelings, and
give you more sense of identity. Another reason is having connection to community and
having a sense of community. Cultural identity connects individuals to a lot of shared
histories, values, traditions so in a sense you're building club that sense of community. I
have been able to connect with people when going to festivals, and partieshelps
distinguish between four strategies. In reference to my culture identity integration
resonates strongly. This is because integration involves maintaining one's cultural
identity while also engaging with adopting aspects of the main culture. This can be seen
as, While I do cherish Italian and Irish traditions, I have also integrated some aspects of
the American culture in ways such as education, language, so by social interactions. This
process has helped me enrich my culture identity by allowing me to navigate through
these different cultures.
4. Being able to study and live through my family's Irish entire cultural background has
definitely shaped my perspective on social justice and client advocacy for others. It
makes you think about the historical struggles, cultural values, and resilience that one
may have when advocating for justice. Both of my cultures have faced historical
injustices and discrimination. For instance, Irish immigrants in the United States
encountered some systematic barriers that led to movements for labor rights. (Library of
Congress). Italian immigrants also navigated challenges such as economic exploration
and xenophobia. One core value that is instilled in both cultures is a strong sense of
community solidarity McGoldrick (2005) Talked about how these cultures emphasize the
importance of supporting one another through collective active and mutual aid. The
resilience demonstrated by Irish and Italian communities has also inspired my advocacy
Cultural Background 6
approach. Learning about their historical figures and some movements from these
cultures it showed me the importance of advocating for justice and advocating for not
just yourself but change in a system that may be broken. Understanding cultural
backgrounds, traditions, and values is essential what wine to advocate for your client.
McGoldrick (2005) discusses how cultural competence and social work involves
recognizing and respecting cultural diversity well advocate Keating for clients rights and
needs. You should always be advocating for your clients regardless of their diverse
backgrounds. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) mentions that we cannot discriminate
against clients based on their background. Advocating for social justice requires applying
several principles such as inclusivity, fairness amongst others. By me drawing on the
struggles and wins that my cultures I thought against I can more confident than the
advocate for policies and practices that promote equal opportunities to these barriers.
This could be advocating for immigrant rights, labor practices, access to resources and
services. My cultures have struggled trying to get all of these resources, so if I'm able to
help individuals that are lacking these resources and help them speak up for themselves
and others, I will do that.
Cultural Background 7
References
ACA code of Ethics. (2014).
D’Acierno, P. (2021). The Italian American heritage a companion to literature and arts. Routledge.
Library of Congress (2024) Joining the Work Force.
McGoldrick, M., Giordano, J., & Garcia-Preto, N. (Eds.) (2005). Ethnicity and family therapy (3rd ed.).
Guilford Press
Maricopa Community Colleges. (2020). Berry’s Model of Acculturation (1997).
Hays, D. G., & Erford, B. T. (2023). Developing multicultural counseling competence: A systems approach
(4th ed.). Pearson.
Williams, S. (2020). Focus: Irish Traditional Music. ROUTLEDGE.
