Lessons from Marrano Beach: Attachment and Culture

SUMMARY

Clinical experiences, research within the American Indian/Alaska Native and Latino/a Los Angeles community, consultation with colleagues, and reflections on professional development indicate that cultural material exerts profound influence on individual, family, and community development. Reflections on practice are discussed that emphasize the role of theory, the significance of culture, and the importance of consultation in all levels of social work practice. In particular, the discussion notes that the prevailing paradigm on cultural competency can be expanded by integrating concepts from attachment theory in the analysis of why culture exerts such a profound influence on human development and behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work theory
• culture
• consultation
• Attachment Theory
• cultural competency