Abstract
<p>American Indians who are deaf may exhibit a complex mix of cultural characteristics common to Indian, Deaf, and hearing Anglo society. The pressures of living with multicultural identities and the conflicts of competing cultural influences can exacerbate the difficulty of dealing with personal stress. Counselors without training in cross-cultural interventions may be unaware of important cultural differences affecting the counseling relationship, particularly the elements of cultural identity that tend to be shared by Deaf and Indian people. This paper explores the comparative cultural values of Deaf people, Indian groups, and the hearing Anglo society. The goal is to identify potential conflicts which may impact the counseling relationship. Practical suggestions for making counseling interventions culturally affirmative are offered.</p>
