The paper discusses counseling approaches with parents of young deaf children with particular emphasis on issues of the deaf community and deaf identity. The cultural implications of deafness are examined, and the effects of their child's deafness on parents' security, status, and aspirations are noted. Examples from counseling groups in urban parent-infant programs are cited to demonstrate potential reactions to considering their child's future and the understanding that frequently develops among parents from very different backgrounds. Issues of racial and ethnic heritage are considered along with issues of status and aspirations. The value of counseling groups for parents is emphasized, and various approaches (including hiring classroom staff who are hearing impaired) to bridging the gap between the hearing and deaf worlds are described. (CL)