Being a Family Therapist in the United States: Multicultural Competency Through the Lenses of an Immigrant Therapist

Abstract

There are very few writings on the challenges of minority therapists working within the mainstream American culture. This article discusses how collectivistic and individualistic cultures differ in the ways they define family relatedness and how some collectivistic values of a female immigrant therapist might influence how she conceptualizes and intervenes in her clients' problems in an individualistic society. A case study is presented to exemplify some of the techniques that might be used from a collectivist perspective to reengage a mother–daughter dyad. Implications and recommendations for clinical, training, and research are included.

Keywords:

• self of the therapist
• family therapists
• individualism and collectivism
• adolescents
• immigrant therapists
• multicultural competency