title: Strategies Used by Foreign-Born Family Therapists to Connect Across Cultural Differences: A Thematic Analysis.
abstract: With the growing diversity in the United States among both clinicians and clients, many therapeutic encounters are cross-cultural, requiring providers to connect across cultural differences. Foreign-born therapists have many areas of differences to work through. Thus, exploring how foreign-born family therapists in the United States connect to their clients can uncover helpful strategies that all therapists can use to establish stronger cross-cultural therapeutic connections. A thematic analysis was conducted to understand strategies 13 foreign-born therapists used during therapeutic encounters. Four themes were identified: making therapy a human-to-human connection, dealing with stereotypes, what really matters, and flexibility. Findings suggest that developing a deep therapeutic connection using emotional attunement and human-to-human engagement is crucial for successful cross-cultural therapy. Clinical and training implications are provided.
authors: Alliant International University.
authors: Alba
authors: A
authors: Niño
authors: Private Practice.
authors: Karni
authors: K
authors: Kissil
authors: Drexel University.
authors: Maureen P
authors: MP
authors: Davey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013240:Stereotyping