ABSTRACT
Most techniques currently used by psychologists to enhance the interpersonal relationships of children and adults are grounded in Western beliefs about psychological health, about individual autonomy in relationships, and about the helping process. In this chapter, we outline some of the different assumptions about relationships that may be brought to the counseling arena by clients who are not members of the majority North American culture. We argue that psychologists who are members of the majority culture can be effective in relationship counseling with clients of different cultural origins if they are sensitive to cultural differences in the ways individuals understand their obligations to significant others. Some modalities of counseling may provide opportunities for enhanced understanding between individuals from different cultures, which may be of therapeutic value in its own right. This is illustrated by a case study of two American adolescents in pair therapy. In conclusion, we argue that multiculturalism can serve as a lens that increases the utility of psychodynamic, behavioral, and cognitive perspectives in a multicultural society and world.
