South Asian Culture

Like all other cultures, South Asian culture brings forth a wealth of rich customs and traditions that counseling and human services professionals should be cognizant of so that services provided meet the needs of the client(s) and are culturally appropriate.

After reading, what are two South Asian cultural traditions/customs that most interested you and why? If you identify as South Asian, what are two traditions/customs that you value the most and why?
If you do not identify yourself as being from a South Asian culture, what are two cultural competencies you would want to remember in working with a client who identifies as South Asian so that you 1) honor their customs, traditions and beliefs and 2) work more effectively with a South Asian client? If you do identify yourself as being from a South Asian culture, how might this impact your working relationships with clients both positively and negatively?
Also, please select one South Asian culture (e.g. Asian, Indian, Pakistan, or Afghanistan) and discuss the family structure. What did you find most interesting and why? How might this information be useful to you in working in the field of human services? If you do identify with a South Asian culture, please feel free to discuss as well the importance of family from your own perspective.