Global Perspectives in Family Therapy: Development, Practice, Trends (Family Therapy and Counseling)


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Global Perspectives in Family Therapy: Development, Practice, Trends provides an overview of the development of the family and the issues and concerns they are faced with in different cultural contexts. Contributions from experts in the field expand on the different aspects on the historical beginnings, current developments, training issues, theoretical variations, future trends, and research potential in family therapy throughout 14 countries. It explores the diverse cultural approach to family therapy and suggests various clinical interventions that are helpful to clinicians dealing with families from different countries, including case studies, vignettes and research outcomes of family therapy overseas.Global Perspectives in Family Therapy: Development, Practice, Trends (Family Therapy and Counseling) Review
Global Perspectives in Family Therapy is a history of family therapy in various countries around the globe. Kit S. Ng, who edited the book, wrote the first chapter, which provides an overview of family therapy. All of the other chapters are written by those involved with family history within the country discussed in that chapter.Family therapy began in the United States, although some internationals were involved in its beginnings. The family is discussed according to culture, as some cultures arrange marriages, some families include three generations living together, and some families choose to live close to relatives, while others live farther away, which has an impact on who is involved in family therapy. The problems of caring for aging parents, adult children leaving the home, managing school problems, parenting issues, chemical abuse, marital issues, divorce, suicide, and depression are discussed. For those of us living outside the United States, it is interesting to note that parenting issues tend to be presented for therapy only in the United States.
The following are implications for therapy:
1. Understand how culture influences what we perceive.
2. Avoid "pathologizing" the family that seeks help.
3. Always start with the key member of the family.
4. Provide information and teaching. Those working in cultures outside the United States often need to help clients find the resources that are available to them.
5. Action-oriented techniques appear to work best.
6. Counter metaphors with metaphors. In other words, use what the family brings into therapy as you work with them.
7. The therapist is a cultural mediator. In some cultures, the therapist will help the client to work with government agencies or mediate differences between communities.
The book includes information about family therapy in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Austria, Italy, Russia, France, Greece, Nigeria, South Africa, Israel, Brazil, and Ecuador. The majority of each chapter talks about the beginnings of family therapy in that country and the current (as of 2003) education and work of family therapists.
Of particular interest to me was the section on Ecuador, since there are similarities between Ecuador and other countries of Latin America. One of the problems with family therapy throughout Latin America is that the majority of texts are written in languages other than Spanish and only a limited number have been translated. Financial constraints also limit the availability of resources the therapist has available for use. Western theories and practices have been adapted to the unique cultural context. The similarities between Ecuador and the Latin countries I have worked in help me better understand some of the challenges of doing therapy in Latin countries.
When I bought this book, I was hoping to have more information about how to work with families from different cultures. While one does learn some cultural information about each country included in the book, the book is more of a history of family development than information about how to work with the families of different cultures.
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