In a multicultural counseling scenario, a Latina client asks personal questions about the counselor's family. This behavior is best understood as

• A. Limited acculturation
• B. Needing to know boundaries and ethics of counseling
• C. Needing to know the counselor as a person
• D. Familism, a strong attachment to her family

Answer: (C)

The behavior reflects a desire to connect with the counselor as a real person. In many Latinx contexts, building trust and safety in therapy happens through personal warmth and knowing the person behind the role. When a client asks about the counselor’s family, she’s testing for genuineness and relational closeness to determine if a trusting bond can be formed. It’s not primarily about boundaries and ethics, acculturation level, or familism itself; it’s about establishing a human connection that makes the therapeutic relationship feel safe and approachable. The counselor can respond with appropriate, professional self-disclosure that supports rapport while maintaining boundaries.