Diversity in Family Therapy

This course serves as an introduction to thinking critically about the clients’ and therapist’s group memberships and identifications, and the effects of these memberships and identities on the therapeutic relationship and interventions. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding both enduring and changing human diversity contexts through the use of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model and genograms as assessment and intervention techniques. This course emphasizes the convergence and divergence of memberships and identities for individuals and families, and the effects of these similarities and differences for the person, family, therapy relationship, organizations, and the culture(s) at large. Students will explore their process of understanding the client and delivering sensitive and competent interventions.