Collectivistic Culture of Vietnamese in Australia and the United States: Implications for Psychotherapy
Research related to psychotherapy conducted in Australia and the United States indicates that Southeast Asians are not as receptive to mental health services as their Caucasian counterparts. Prior research has explored underlying factors that result in Asian clients’ reluctance to seek therapy as a viable option to ameliorate their psychological issues. Little is understood regarding whether traditional models of therapy are well suited for Vietnamese clients. In this study, 27 Vietnamese participants over the age of 18 were recruited from Australia and the United States. Using narrative inquiry methodology, participants were invited to discuss Vietnamese attitudes towards psychological distress, how cultural values affect their attitudes towards psychotherapy and its relevance for addressing their personal concerns and psychological problems. Findings from the study related to three main themes: the collectivist perspective of Vietnamese immigrants; the cultural rift between those that maintain traditional values and those that have assimilated to a Western, more individualist perspective; and Vietnamese ideas about psychotherapy. The importance of understanding the collectivistic culture of Vietnamese clients in the context of mental health services is discussed in detail. The mismatch between traditional, individualistic therapy concepts and clients who remain collectively oriented, despite exterior adaptations to Western culture, needs to be recognized. This research challenges the field of psychotherapy to re-examine whether Western therapy adequately fulfills the needs of Vietnamese clients and highlights the importance of collectivist considerations, hierarchical relationships, communications styles, and the cultural rift. Recommendations are made for adapting psychotherapy to better suit Vietnamese clients.
Therapists are Socially Constructed Too
Therapists are trained to recognize that their clients are influenced strongly by their own families, and by the social, cultural, and political context in which they live. Some therapists have come to view their clients' behavior and experiences as socially constructed. From this perspective, they conceive of therapy as the construction of a new, more functional narrative between the collaborators in the process. However, within this framework what can be forgotten is that therapists are socially constructed too, and are just as influenced by societal and cultural beliefs as their clients. In this paper, this phenomenon is examined through the use of case study. Implications for the practice, teaching, and supervision of therapy are discussed.
Clients as Teachers: Reciprocal Influences in Therapy Relationships
The value of the continuing education industry for therapists is questioned, as is the usefulness of therapy books and journal articles, as a means of engaging therapists in life-long learning. Instead, it is argued that our clients are our best teachers and that therapists learn most effectively from their clients. Drawing on research studies with prominent theoreticians and therapists, and on case studies from clinical work, a number of important themes are identified as ways in which therapists are influenced by their therapeutic encounters with their clients. The themes explored in this article include: (1) intimacy and high emotional arousal with clients as we witness profound change; (2) being challenged by clients; and (3) allowing for boundary 'crossings' in order to develop more flexible ways of working with clients. The implications for professional development are discussed.