ABSTRACT
In the United States, much of what determines how one is perceived and the overall quality of one's life are associated with race and color, gender, and social class. Until recently, perceptions of these realities have been primarily shaped by a dominant culture perspective and assumed to be true and relevant for everyone, even though the world views of people of color, the poor, immigrants, and other marginalized populations have not been included. Therefore, in many instances, myths, distortions, and other misperceptions have been accepted as unquestionable truths. Since mental health care systems have been primarily shaped by the same perspective, it is not surprising, then, that people of color, immigrants, the poor, and other marginalized groups are prevalent among those who are underserved by the helping professions. This reality has important implications for the fields of counseling and mental health in college settings.
