Diversity in Psychotherapy: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender

by Victor De La Cancela, Jean Lau Chin, Yvonne M. Jenkins

Overview

This challenging and insightful work wrestles with the difficult treatment problems confronting both culturally and socially oppressed clients and psychotherapists in a society where diversity has often been resisted. The authors question long-held assumptions within the profession and urge recognition of new ethnic, racial, and gender realities which significantly impact therapies. Recognizing the implications of cultural diversity in the society, the authors-clinicians seek to broaden health professionals' awareness of clients' needs and to promote the requisite empathy. They describe how ethnic, racial, and gender issues affect psychotherapy's progress and outcomes. Specific concerns about such key factors as self-esteem, gender roles, and social regard are addressed in a context supportive of diversity enhancement rather than one seeking uniformity. Case studies offer highly valuable resource material and, through the authors' explication, insights into their challenging perspectives on this highly important health service.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275941802
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/21/1993
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)
Lexile:	1460L (what's this?)

About the Author

JEAN LAU CHIN is Director of the South Cove Community Health Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She is co-author of Transference and Empathy in Asian American Psychotherapy (Praeger, 1993).

VICTOR DE LA CANCELA is a clinical community psychologist licensed in three states and is currently the Senior Assistant Vice President, Managed Care Education and Special Projects for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the largest municipal health care system in the United States.

YVONNE M. JENKINS, a counseling and clinical psychologist, is on the staff of Harvard University Health Services, Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is also in private practice with Moore and Frauenhofer Psychological Associates, Brookline, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Stanley Sue
Commentary by Deborah Ridley Brome
Diversity in Psychotherapy: Examination of Racial, Ethnic, Gender, and Political Issues
Historical Overviews: Three Sociopolitical Perspectives
Diversity and Social Esteem
Commentary
Toward a Psychology of Difference: Psychotherapy for a Culturally Diverse Population
A Progressive Challenge: Political Perspectives of Psychotherapy Theory and Practice
African-American Women: Ethnocultural Variables and Dissonant Expectations
Commentary
The Therapist-Client Dyad with a Chinese-American Couple
Affirmative Therapy with a Severely Disturbed Puerto Rican Male
Themes in Psychotherapy with Diverse Populations
Afterword by L. Philip Guzman
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Authors Chin, Victor De La Cancela, and Yvonne M. Jenkins document the inadequacy of traditional psychotherapy practices as effective frameworks of intervention with pluralistic populations. In Part One, they reformulate those constructs that will be central in defining culturally competent psychotherapy. In Part Two, they present three perspectives for developing an overall culturally competent framework. Part Three provides case examples of how one grapples with the overarching guidelines presented in parts one and two. Each part is introduced by Deborah Ridley Brome. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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