SOCIAL WORK AND COUNSELING IN A TRANSCULTURAL ENVIRONMENT: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CRISIS INTERVENTION

Abstract

The article provides a theoretical interpretation of the specific features of social work and counseling in a transcultural environment under contemporary crisis challenges caused by war and migration processes. Crisis is conceptualized as a multidimensional phenomenon combining psychological, social, and cultural dimensions, and the necessity of integrating crisis intervention approaches with transcultural sensitivity in professional social work practice is substantiated. It is demonstrated that contemporary crisis processes are accompanied by the transformation of social ties, changes in the cultural environment, and the need for clients to adapt to new living conditions, which requires comprehensive professional responses. The paper outlines current professional challenges related to clients’ double vulnerability, communication barriers, ethical dilemmas, and the increased emotional burden placed on specialists. It is emphasized that, in situations of transcultural interaction, the social worker must take into account not only the client’s psycho-emotional state, but also their sociocultural experience, value orientations, and the specific features of interaction within the community. An integrative model of transcultural crisis counseling is proposed, based on the principles of cultural sensitivity, resource orientation, partnership interaction, and ethical reflection. It is determined that the conceptual core of the model is the client’s identity, which shapes the way crisis experiences are lived through and expectations regarding support are formed. It is argued that the effectiveness of crisis counseling in a transcultural environment is ensured through the integration of individual, social, and cultural levels of support. Practical guidelines for implementing the proposed approach in the work of social services, support centers for internally displaced persons, institutions working with veterans and other vulnerable population groups, as well as in the system of professional training for future social workers, are identified. It is concluded that integrating the principles of transcultural sensitivity into crisis counseling practice contributes to increasing the effectiveness of professional assistance, strengthening clients’ adaptive potential, and fostering more sustainable models of social support under contemporary social transformations