Culturally Competent Family Therapy

The problems of a family are often conditioned by the cultural issues its members face, regardless of their socioeconomic background. However, most therapeutic models ignore this important factor. Ariel's book offers a model for diagnosis and therapy that incorporates cultural issues. It provides clinicians and trainees with readily applicable concepts, methods, and techniques for helping families and their members overcome difficulties related to intermarriage, immigration, acculturation, socioeconomic inequality, prejudice, and ecological or demographic change. This approach enables therapists to analyze and describe a family as a cultural system, explain its culture-related difficulties, and design and carry out culturally sensitive strategies for solving these difficulties. The model introduced in this book integrates theories in family therapy in general and culturally oriented family therapy in particular with ideas drawn from many other fields, such as cross-cultural psychology, psychiatry, anthropology and linguistics. The form of therapy presented in this book is integrative, drawing from traditional curing and healing techniques employed in folk psychotherapy and medicine, in addition to more conventional therapeutic models. Every technique is modified to be adapted to the cultural character of the family in question. This book is designed to be a handbook for clinicians and a textbook for students, trainees and researchers. It can be used as a guide for a complete independent method of family therapy and also as a source of ideas and techniques that can be incorporated selectively into other forms of therapy.

This important resource offers theoretical and practical approaches to understanding and working with cultural realities in training and supervision, particularly in family therapy. Clinical wisdom, empirical findings, real-world examples, and hands-on suggestions demonstrate the vital role of building and sustaining cultural awareness, both in supervisory work with trainees and in therapists providing fair, effective, and relevant services to clients. In the book’s multiple perspectives on the complexities of cultural identity, the attainment of cultural safety is shown as an ongoing process, part of professional development as well as self-knowledge across the lifespan. Critical distinctions are also drawn between cultural safety and relatively static concepts within cross-cultural competencies. Included in the coverage: A framework for integrating an understanding of oppression dynamics in clinical work and supervision. Expanding conversations about cultural responsiveness in supervision. When dominant culture values meet diverse clinical settings: perspectives from an African American supervisor. Safety and social justice in the supervisory relationship. Towards safe and equitable relationships: sociocultural attunement in supervision. Comprehensive multicultural curriculum: self-awareness as process. Developing cultural awareness and sensitivity through simulation. Creating Cultural Safety in Couple and Family Therapy will enhance the work of social workers, mental health professionals, and practitioners working family therapy cases seeking perspectives on addressing diverse multicultural realities as they intersect with clinical supervision and training.

This progressive volume takes a nuanced approach to understanding systemic therapies with diverse client populations, leading to culturally responsive therapy. Synthesizing diverse streams of psychology, philosophy, and social theory, chapters focus on cutting-edge issues in couple and family therapy including social justice, power, and privilege in therapy, the role of evidence-based practices, and integrative approaches to couple and family therapy. Each contributor is either a recent immigrant to the U.S. or a person of color, bringing unique personal lenses and experiences to the exploration of the topics. And coverage also makes clear what white therapists need to learn—and unlearn—before they can work responsively with clients of color. This practice-building reference: Combines research with applied knowledge in its treatment of topics. Adapts systemic therapy practice into today’s culturally diverse contexts. Explores themes of power, privilege, and social justice in each chapter. Presents multiculturalism in terms of therapeutic responsiveness. Critiques approaches to systemic therapy with immigrant clients and clients of color. Challenges readers to access deeper concepts and realities of self, other, and trust. Updating familiar takes on cultural competence with both local and global implications, Cross-Cultural Responsiveness and Systemic Therapy describes numerous opportunities for and challenges to couple and family therapy, as well as cross-disciplinary opportunities for incorporating social justice and cultural responsiveness in training and supervision of couple and family therapists.

Now in a significantly revised and expanded second edition, this groundbreaking work illuminates how racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression constrain the lives of diverse clients a " and family therapy itself. Practitioners and students gain vital tools for re-evaluating prevailing conceptions of family health and pathology; tapping into clients' cultural resources; and developing more inclusive theories and therapeutic practices. From leaders in the field, the second edition features many new chapters, case examples, and specific recommendations for culturally competent assessment, treatment, and clinical training. The section in which authors reflect on their own cultural and family legacies also has been significantly expanded.

Originally published in 1991, this landmark guide gave brilliant insights on dealing with the cultural aspects of family mental health. It systematically reviews various dimensions of the family from a cross-cultural perspective, including system, development, behaviour, and functioning. It then thoroughly examines the problems and dysfunctions that can occur in families of different cultural backgrounds, and finally proposes culturally appropriate assessments and treatments for resolving these family problems. Family counsellors, therapists, and researchers who study the family will find practical suggestions on how to assess and evaluate the family with cultural considerations; clinical suggestions on providing culturally relevant, effective care of the family; and theoretical elaboration on the cultural implications of family therapy. Instead of focusing on families of a particular ethnic or cultural background, the book gives comprehensive coverage to subjects that related to cultural aspects of the family function, problems, and therapy. The authors’ unique backgrounds, which include analysis of the cross-cultural aspects of human behaviour, knowledge in family research, and clinical experience in family therapy, add immeasurably to this book's important contribution.

There are many different models of marriage and family therapy; the challenge for students and beginning practitioners is deciding which one best suits their individual purposes. This highly practical volume elucidates the defining characteristics of 14 contemporary models, including their history, views of change, views of family and the role of the therapist; and methods of assessing family dynamics, goal setting; facilitating change; and knowing when to terminate. Each chapter also includes a template for implementing therapy models, and realistic case studies-many drawn from actual practice-to illustrate how each model would address common issues. In addition, the volume includes extensive interviews with master therapists such as Albert Ellis, Insoo Kim Berg, Sue Johnson, Susan McDaniel, Derald Wing Sue, and many others. They share their ideas of the ways in which change occurs, how they set goals, and how they perform therapy. For further clarification, each therapist illustrates how he/she would proceed via the same case study. Learning how to perform effective family therapy can be an arduous process of trial and error, yet this resource will ease the way for students and currently practicing family therapists who need to revisit the basics. Modalities Included Bowen Family Systems Theory Contextual Family Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy Models Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Symbolic-Experiential Family Therapy Satir Human Validation Process Model Milan Systemic Family Therapy Structural Family Therapy Strategic Family Therapy Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with Families Narrative Therapy with Families Emotionally Focused Therapy Medical Family Therapy Family Psychoeducation Key Features: Introduces the theory, history, theoretical assumptions, techniques, and components of each model Includes a template for using each model, from the initial meeting through assessment, intervention, and termination Provides numerous interviews with master therapists Includes case study commentary and analysis by master therapists Suggests questions, therapeutic strategies, and/or comments to consider for each therapeutic phase Includes a personality inventory to help readers select the most effective modality

Culturally Sensitive Supervision and Training: Diverse Perspectives and Practical Applications is a comprehensive text that exposes readers to an array of culturally competent approaches to supervision and training. The book consists of contributions from a culturally and professionally diverse group of scholars and clinicians who have been on the frontline of providing culturally competent supervision and training in a variety of settings. Many of the invited contributing authors have developed innovative clinical-teaching strategies for skillfully and effectively incorporating issues of culture into both the classroom and the consulting room. A major portion of the book will provide the reader with an insider’s view of these strategies as well as a plan for implementation, with one chapter devoted to experiential exercises to enhance cultural sensitivity in supervision and training. The text is intended for use in supervision courses, but trainers and supervisors will also find it essential to their work.

Culturally Sensitive Supervision and Training: Diverse Perspectives and Practical Applications is a comprehensive text that exposes readers to an array of culturally competent approaches to supervision and training. The book consists of contributions from a culturally and professionally diverse group of scholars and clinicians who have been on the frontline of providing culturally competent supervision and training in a variety of settings. Many of the invited contributing authors have developed innovative clinical-teaching strategies for skillfully and effectively incorporating issues of culture into both the classroom and the consulting room. A major portion of the book will provide the reader with an insider’s view of these strategies as well as a plan for implementation, with one chapter devoted to experiential exercises to enhance cultural sensitivity in supervision and training. The text is intended for use in supervision courses, but trainers and supervisors will also find it essential to their work.