Acknowledge Prejudice

• Many psychotherapists come from a white, middle class background, and therefore have never personally dealt with any kind of prejudice. Our mainstream society denies that racism, homophobia and other types of discrimination exist on any pervasive scale, even though many ethnic and cultural minorities express a certainty that it does. Listening to instances of discrimination with an open mind and accepting it as the family's truth is crucial to forming a therapeutic alliance with cultural minorities. Denying or second-guessing their experience will make them feel unheard and alienated.
  
  

Education and Awareness

• Once a therapist becomes aware of a new family's background, it is especially important for him to educate himself on some general aspects of their culture before the first session. If a therapist has never worked with a Chinese family before, it is important that he learn a few differences between Chinese and American culture (such as the Chinese's emphasis on the family's needs over the individual's needs). When working with a homosexual couple hoping to start a family, it may be useful to investigate the bureaucratic difficulties they are up against (such as domestic unions and adoption policies). It can be alienating and draining for clients from a different culture to educate an unsavvy therapist on the issues they are coping with.
  
  

Multi-Generational Dialogue

• Dealing with two or more generations within the same family can bring out different shades of a multicultural experience, and it is important to give each perspective enough space to be understood. If the parents are immigrants from another country, it is important to consider all the difficulties they may have come up against, including alienation from their home and primary support group, learning a new language and work discrimination. The children of immigrants are often in a difficult situation, being torn between a pressure to assimilate into American culture and hold onto their parent's roots. Opening a dialogue where all members can discuss these conflicts can be quite helpful.
  
  

Bicultural Dialogue

• More and more American families are combining various cultures together, with husbands and wives marrying from different ethnic backgrounds, religions and classes. While this can lead to a great amount of learning for all involved, many problems can arise based on misunderstandings from the extended family and disagreements over how to raise the children. Listening to all perspectives and fostering acceptance and a collaborative attitude is crucial. It can also be helpful to draw out the perspective of the family members who have a mixed heritage, as their parents may not be aware of the difficulties and confusion it can sometimes bring.