Therapist's And Client's Ethnic Background Match

[grace5555]

Just a couple of quick thoughts here - my T has to be a female and other than that, I am pretty open although I do seek for one that has similar religious beliefs as that is a huge trigger area for me. Race-wise, I honestly can't see it making much difference unless we make it an issue. I think commonalities can be found in each other in any situation.

Grace

 

[Linda]

Bec,
I am not looking for the therapist of the same group with mine (especially, as you pointed right, I am "a little bit of everything"). My therapist is a white middle-class American, and I find her to be very professional and helpful, can not think of a better one actually. However I did not develop trust at once. For example, I did not feel comfortable talking about the discrimination I had faced in Russia. And it is also an influence of culture: I simply did not know what the therapist are trained for in the States, but had a pretty bad experience with inprofessional ones at home country.
I agree with all you say about hiding your owr racism behind the magical phrase "being a minority".
I***f all this other crap is an issue, it's yours not the therapists.***
This is exactly what I mean: what issues we may have.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Sorry if I used wrong word. I do tend to use racism and discrimination interchangeably. I should watch that. Your post was more discrimination actually. And you are contradicting yourself. How do you have many "Russian American" friends to abandon you if you never belonged to a Russian community within the states? And lack of understanding of cultural backgrounds is exactly what you were pointing out so why would understanding not be good enough?

Historical differences... Sorry that makes no sense. There are historical differences every where, that is America. If people let those lead them they would be living in the back woods married to a cousin with no social exchanges at all.

 

[Linda]

Veilid,
"Belonging to the community" and just having friends are two different things. I understand "Belonging to the community" as actually participaiting in its life somehow: for example, in my case, help to edit local Russian newspaper. I did have, and still do, some Russian friends (not too close friends, I do not know the proper English word for it). But there are very few.
Why underastanding may not be good enough... Well, I give you an example. For instance, a woman who is seeking help after raped may understand that male therapists are knowlegeble, but feels more comfortable with a female one. Same thing is possible with cultural issues: understanding that one is a good professional, but not developing enough comfort. It is of course client's issue, not therapist's.

 

[Deleted member 93]

Do you realize you are talking in circles?

 

[Linda]

What do you mean?

 

[Deleted member 93]

If you cannot see it following your own postings and responses not much I can say to show you. Except a bulleted list of contradictions which I am honestly just not going to invest that much time in as I don't see that as a productive use of my time at this point. If I really thought it would help I would but... Washing my hands of this thread as it is beyond counter productive, not making any sense at this point (to me), and I see it as someone is just trying to stir the pot, not making valid points about actual PTSD issues.

 

[Linda]

Well, Veilid, I am sorry you saw something I never ment. Or maybe my language barrier is so severe that I can not understand what you mean, or can not express my thought clearly.
What gave me an idea to write this post was a small article I read in an older (2001) psychology textbook. All I did was asking a question which I feel is important. However, if you think the discussion is counter-productive, it can be ended.