Multiculturalism and the Therapeutic Process

Clients in psychodynamic therapy come from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as do therapists, yet cross-cultural issues are often oversimplified or ignored in clinical practice and training. This volume helps therapists incorporate awareness of diversity into all phases of treatment, from referral and assessment to working through and termination. Using extensive case material, Judith Mishne illuminates the ways that differences in ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, class background, and age enter into both the personal identity of client and therapist and the moment-to-moment process of therapy. She offers clear guidance for understanding and navigating the intersubjective issues that arise, drawing from the literatures of multicultural therapy, self psychology, and object relations. Demonstrating how to build and sustain a strong, empathic treatment alliance--one based on openness, self-awareness, curiosity, and specific cultural knowledge--this book is a vital resource for contemporary clinicians. Winner--Gradiva Award, National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis