Let's talk about di-ver-sit-y, Let's talk about you and me!

Ok ok, I know, cheesy title, but shall we?  When you are dealing with anything having to do with mental health today, you know it's going to come up.  That one word that you'll never fully understand.  The concept that you'll never have full competence in.  Yeah, you know the one.... DIVERSITY!  There, I said it.  It's hard to hit every aspect of diversity in one blog entry, but we spend a fair amount of time looking at ourselves when prepping to practice in the field.  So maybe take a step back and think to yourself for a moment, "How do I relate to diversity?"............  Have you given up yet?  I'll be honest and say that I had a hard time doing this when it popped into my head today.  Being white, male, middle class, average hight (I like to think so anyway), doesn't give me much wiggle room in that part of the field.  Sometimes I feel guilty because I'll never understand what "It's" like.  This has probably been one of the most frustrating parts of my education as I enter the mental health field.  So, let me propose this;  does the word "diversity" not depict a grouping of differences?  However, somehow when I thought about how I relate to diversity I mainly thought about the similarities I have to others and how I "have no culture" to myself.  Whaaaaaaaa???

So now what?  Well, this bothered me throughout most of the day until I thought to replace "diversity" with "individualism".  As clinicians, we are supposed to treat the client/ patient and not the culture right?  This hit me when I was approached by an individual about my tattoos this afternoon.  Yup, someone was actually interested in something I consider to be a part of my "culture" and was genuinely curious about it.  Furthermore, she complemented me on subject!  I was like, "Who are you?"  I realized that I was so foreign to the concept of having a piece of diversity to me that I was completely taken back.  Yes yes, I've been approached about my tattoos many times before, but not like this.  I usually get the "Sweet tat, dude!", or "Did it hurt?"  This was different in that I felt part of a community.

Ok, what else makes me an individual rather than diverse?  Hmmmm.... Well, music is a huge part of my life.  Specifically electronic dance music (EDM).  I love that s***! The high energy.  The intensity.  It's addicting.  I started diving into this genre of music at age 10 and my parents definitely had one eyebrow raised the entire time.  Being different/individualistic/expressive is abnormal right? But where do we draw the line?  Hold on, let me check the DSM..... Social anxiety disorder-NOS. I knew it!  Anyway,  as I reminisce, there are no rules and there are no limits to EDM music festivals.  All social standards and expectations are suspended.  The hardest part is giving into self-expression.  Who would have thought?!  But that's what is so intoxicating for me!  Is this what it "feels" like to be diverse?  Is this a "feeling" that I should strive to bring out through empathy with clients?

How will this affect me as a counselor?  How will this affect my clients?  Is it a good thing?  Is it a bad thing? :/  Should I just "thow'em up" and roll with it?  I'll disclose that my tattoos have played a very positive roll in the rapport I share with my clients, but is this diversity in a sort of reverse play?  I would be interested in hearing what you guys have to say on the subject.  What are some of your own experiences similar to this?

PS: This is the EDM song that got me hooked.  Thought I'd share it with you all for your listening pleasure!