Culturally Responsive MFT through Cultural Brokering

Diverse immigrant and refugee families in the U.S. are increasingly seeking mental health services from ethnically diverse practitioners. Mental health professionals are employing culturally responsive interventions such as cultural brokering to decrease the cultural gaps between practitioners and their clients. There is a lack of research on the practice of cultural brokering within marriage and family therapy (MFT). This study utilized grounded theory to understand how MFTs utilize cultural brokers in their practice. Emerging findings suggest what cultural brokering means to MFTs, who cultural brokers are, how MFTs are using cultural brokers, and finally, the benefits of utilizing cultural brokers.

Objectives

1) To evaluate the current use of cultural brokers by MFTs 2) To demonstrate the importance of cultural brokering in family therapy 3) To theorize about how MFTs can incorporate cultural brokers into their practice

Meeting of spirits: Strengths and challenges of therapy practice in Cambodia

Following the Khmer Rouge genocide, civil war, and instability that has continued post-conflict (trafficking, poverty, corruption), Cambodia lacks the infrastructure to train, supervise, and license therapists. To understand the needs of therapists in a developing mental health field, we must first understand what Cambodian therapists' most meaningful and most challenging experiences are. In the present qualitative study, interviews conducted with therapists in Cambodia (N=12) explores their clinical experiences. Emerging themes of contextual challenges and therapist support systems will be presented and linked to suggestions for further support of Cambodia's growing mental health field.

Objectives

1. To critically examine the experiences of therapists in a developing mental health field, in a post-conflict society. 2. To describe the interaction between therapists’ meaningful and challenging experiences. 3. To highlight the ways in which broader social contexts influence the overall experiences of therapists.

Graduate Student Parents: Exploring Resources for Degree Completion

This study explored the perceptions of graduate student parents regarding the usefulness of campus, community, and potential resources. The results indicated that graduate student parents placed greater value on financial and childcare resources as well as having a supportive faculty advisor. This study also found that women placed significantly greater value on many of the resources studied when compared to their male counterparts. There were no significant differences between master's and Doctoral students. Results suggest that there are many resources that universities, family therapy training programs, and therapists could offer graduate student parents to support them in completing their degrees.

Objectives

To identify resources needed by graduate student parents to complete their degrees To learn how the need for resources varies based on the gender of the graduate parent To increase awareness of the "leaky pipeline" construct and how it impacts the diversity in higher education.

Leaving Violent Marriage: Case Study of an Iranian Woman

This study utilized a case study to understand the experience of a woman who left her violent marriage in Tehran. Findings from a semi-structured, in-depth interview, a story she wrote, and Conflict Tactic Scale included four main themes: 1) vulnerability factors, 2) process of dealing with violence (from cognitive strategies to Behavioral strategies), 3) leaving violent marriage (from personal motivation to Macrosystem support), and 4) healing process (assistance VS barriers). The implications of this study help therapists working with Iranian women to provide effective prevention and intervention services that are appropriately targeted to the needs of Iranian women.

Objectives

1. Describe how Iranian women become vulnerable to partner violence. 2. Describe the process of dealing with intimate partner 3. Provide prevention and/or family therapy services to Iranian women (in the U.S. or in Iran) in violent relationships.