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Culture and Identity
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Culture and Identity
Life Stories for Counselors and Therapists

Third Edition


November 2016 | 464 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Culture and Identity engages students with autobiographical stories that show the intersections of culture as part of identity formation. The easy-to-read stories centered on such themes as race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, and disability tell the real-life struggles with identity development, life events, family relationships, and family history. The Third Edition includes an expanded framework model that encompasses racial socialization, oppression, and resilience. New discussions of timely topics include race and gender intersectionality, microaggressions, enculturation, cultural homelessness, risk of journey, spirituality and wellness, and APA guidelines for working with transgendered individuals.
 
Preface
Organization of the Book

 
 
Acknowledgments
 
SECTION I: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS
 
1. Self in Context
Developmental Processes

 
Development of the Self

 
Development of Self in Context

 
Societal Influences on Development

 
Shifting Selves

 
Resilience

 
What Is Resilience?

 
Factors Associated With Resilience

 
Personal Protective Factors

 
Using Resilience in Treatment

 
 
SECTION II: RACE AND ETHNICITY
 
2. Julie’s Story: So What if I’m a Black Woman?
Julie’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Race and Stereotypes

 
Interpersonal Relationships

 
Racism

 
Self-Definition/Authentic Self

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Influence of Race

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Critical Consciousness and the Authentic Self

 
Racial Heritage

 
Racial Socialization

 
Countertransference

 
Reactions to Racism

 
Race of the Therapist

 
Toolbox Activity—Julie

 
 
3. Butch’s Story: Who Am I?
Butch’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Contextual Dimensions

 
Family Socialization Patterns

 
Intragroup Differences

 
Self-Image

 
Cultural Homelessness

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Myths About Multiracial Individuals

 
Family and Racial Socialization Processes

 
Countertransference

 
Myths and Misperceptions

 
Issues of Self-Hatred

 
Toolbox Activity—Butch

 
 
4. Betsie’s Story: I Am 100% Jewish
Betsie’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Pride About Ethnic Background

 
The Connection Between Ethnicity and Family Values

 
Pressure to Conform to Ethnic Values

 
Relationship Between Ethnicity and Religion

 
Relationship Between Sociohistorical Contexts and Identity

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Pride About Ethnic Background

 
Ethnicity, Family Values, and Pressures to Conform

 
Relationship Between Ethnicity, Religion, Sociohistorical Contexts, and Other Variables

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Similar Ethnicity

 
Different Ethnicity

 
Toolbox Activity—Betsie

 
 
5. Maribel’s Story: When Are You Going to Have Kids?
Maribel’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Ethnicity, Immigration, Social Class, and Racism

 
Ethnicity and Language

 
The Double Life of a Hybrid Identity

 
Gender Role Shifts

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Maribel

 
 
SECTION III: IMMIGRATION AND ACCULTURATION
 
6. Vu’s Story: I Am an American
Vu’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Forced Migration and Refugee Status

 
Second Language Acquisition

 
Acculturation and Assimilation Processes

 
Survivor Guilt

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Forced Migration and Refugee Status

 
Second Language Acquisition

 
Acculturation Processes and Coping Styles

 
Survivor Guilt

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Acquire Knowledge of History

 
Psycholinguistic History

 
Countertransference

 
Excessive Curiosity About the Client’s Background

 
Wish to Help Clients Go Back to Their Roots

 
Toolbox Activity—Vu

 
 
7. Esteban’s Story: Still Uprooted
Esteban’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Tragic Loss

 
Language Loss

 
Language, Acculturation, and Ethnicity

 
Immigration and Social Class

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Language Loss

 
Shifts in Social Class

 
Ethnicity and Acculturation Views

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Language Switching and Language Mixing

 
Countertransference

 
Sadness or Guilt

 
Denial of Culture

 
Wish to Prove That the Clinician Is Above Prejudice

 
Toolbox Activity—Esteban

 
 
8. Maria Luz’s Story: Here We Are Not Free
Maria Luz’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Ambivalence

 
Voluntary Versus Involuntary Migration

 
Documented Versus Undocumented Status

 
Language Issues of the First-Generation Immigrant

 
Immigration and Geographic Origin

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Potential for Dropout From Services

 
Beliefs About Mental Health Practices

 
Risk of Dropout From Counseling Services

 
Ambivalence About the Immigration Decision

 
Language Issues

 
Importance of Geographic Origin

 
Documentation Status

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Pretherapy Orientation

 
Countertransference

 
Clients’ Language, Habits, and Customs

 
Therapist Discomfort and Positive or Negative Stereotypes

 
Toolbox Activity—Maria Luz

 
 
9. Teresa’s Story: I Didn’t Want to Go to Church on Sunday
Teresa’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
First- Versus Second-Generation Immigrants

 
Language Issues of the Second Generation: Loss or Rejection

 
Intergenerational Conflicts and Gender

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Language Issues With the Second Generation

 
Intergenerational Conflicts and Gender Roles

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Untangling Family Conflicts Based on Second-Generation Choices

 
Countertransference

 
Taking Sides

 
Toolbox Activity—Teresa

 
 
SECTION IV: RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
 
10. Frank’s Story: Hearing God’s Voice
Frank’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Relationship With God

 
Submission in Religion

 
Religion as a Strength or Resource

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Relationship With a Higher Power

 
Existential Questions

 
Religion as Strength

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Discomfort With Religious Discussions

 
Differences in Religious Beliefs

 
Toolbox Activity—Frank

 
 
11. Bob’s Story: The Good Christian Son
Bob’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Religious Socialization

 
Shift in Religious Identity

 
Internal Migration and Religious Identity

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Bob

 
 
12. Katie’s Story: Catholic and Jewish? How Can It Be?
Katie’s Story

 
Was This a “Crisis” of Faith?

 
The Wedding Plans

 
And the Rest of the Story . . . ?

 
Teach Your Children Diligently

 
Practice, Practice, Practice: A Practicing Catholic

 
Content Themes

 
Religious Identity Development

 
Decision Making

 
Family Socialization

 
Influence of Current Events

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Examination of Specific Religious Teachings

 
Interfaith Relationship Issues

 
Countertransference

 
Moral Dilemmas

 
Confusion About Interfaith Differences

 
Toolbox Activity—Katie

 
 
13. Malia’s Story: Am I American?
Malia’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Process of Identity

 
Acculturation

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Process of Identity

 
Religion

 
Acculturation

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Malia

 
 
SECTION V: SOCIAL CLASS
 
14. Carla’s Story: One More Mile
Carla’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
The Impact of Poverty

 
Lack of Access to Resources

 
Importance of Education

 
Link to Race/Dominant Values

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Carla

 
 
15. Anthony’s Story: From Radical to Bohemian to Suit Me
Anthony’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Changes in Socioeconomic Status and Social Class

 
Dominant Class Standards

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Dominant Values

 
Budgets

 
Countertransference

 
Differences in Values

 
Classism

 
Toolbox Activity—Anthony

 
 
SECTION VI: SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Clinical Considerations

 
 
16. Karen’s Story: Midlife Growing Pains
Karen’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Coming Out

 
Bisexuality

 
Shame and Internal Judgment

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Karen

 
 
17. Rachel’s Story: Nurturing the Spirit
Transgender and Intersex Sexuality

 
Implications for Professionals

 
Discussion Questions

 
Rachel’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Trapped in Wrong Body/Gender Identity

 
Transition

 
Harassment

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Cross-Gender Expression and Transgender Identity

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Expression and Acceptance of Gender Identity

 
Transitioning and Working Through Harassment

 
Belief in Client Competency

 
Countertransference

 
Toolbox Activity—Rachel

 
 
SECTION VII: DISABILITY
 
18. David’s Story: Broken Neck, Intact Spirit
David’s Story

 
Content Themes

 
Grief and Loss Issues

 
Adjusting to the Disability

 
Disability Identity Development

 
Discrimination

 
Resilience and Social Justice

 
Clinical Applications

 
Assessment

 
Techniques and Interventions

 
Grief and Loss

 
Fostering Resilience

 
Career Counseling

 
Intersectionality

 
Process of Therapy

 
Countertransference

 
Pity

 
Curiosity

 
Toolbox Activity—David

 
 
Appendix
 
References
 
Index
 
About the Authors

Supplements

Instructor Site
Password-protected Instructor Resources include the following:

  • Discussion and essay questions can be used as a spring board for classroom discussion and for essay questions in exam or quizzes.
  • Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for the course
  • Presentation suggestions for student research papers or oral presentations. The topics can also be used for class discussions, papers, and as a basis for ideas to assign other projects.
  • Comprehensive instructor’s manual comprised of all resources developed for this text.

Student Study Site
The open-access Student Study Site includes the following:

  • For a more real-life, intimate understanding of the life stories, five podcasts and videos relate the stories of Butch, Maribel, Bob, Anthony, and Karen, taped by professional actors, correspond to the stories published in the book. 
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to certain full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected for each chapter. Each article supports and expands on the concepts presented in the chapter. This feature also provides questions to focus and guide student interpretation. Combine cutting-edge academic journal scholarship with the topics in your course for a robust classroom experience.
  • Additional relevant sources can be assigned to the primary textbook to supplement information in each of the sections of the textbook.
  • Relevant films of topics including: The Concepts of Culture and Ethnicity, Culture and Research, Basic Processes, Culture and Developmental Processes, Personality, Emotion, and the Self in Cultural Context, Health, Stress, and Coping Across Cultures, Culture and Social Behavior, Intergroup Relations, and Intercultural Interaction.

 

 

 

“The authors provide readers with compelling narratives that are both powerful and informative. The book is well organized and helps the reader identify important content themes and interventions necessary to work with diverse populations. I would highly recommend this text to counselor trainees and students interested in working from a culturally mindful perspective!” 

Jason Vasquez
Illinois State University

“Thomas and Schwarzbaum’s life story approach offers students and trainees an inclusive, sensitive, and progressive means of evaluating cultural identity development. Their rich collection of narratives generates valuable insights into the intersection of a diverse array of cultural factors that foster cultural identity growth. Students and trainees who read this text will gain fresh perspectives on how their therapeutic approach can be used to help clients cultivate and bolster a personally meaningful cultural identity.”  

Jeff Kilbert
Georgia Southern University

“Thomas and Schwarzbaum’s delicate handling of the sensitive topic of multicultural counseling in the text Culture and Identity: Life Stories for Counselors and Therapists is a must read for students and therapists who wish to increase their knowledge, skills, and understanding of the dynamics of a rapidly changing multicultural world.”

Merrill T. Reese
Regent University

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 17


For instructors

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ISBN: 9781506305677
£103.00