Working with African American Clients

Dr Thomas A. Parham demonstrates an African-centered, culturally based approach that can augment any therapy with African American clients. Dr Parham's approach honors spirituality, interconnectedness, and self-knowledge, and is aimed at treating the client holistically - that is, without dividing a client's issues into affective, cognitive, and behavioral factors. In this session, Dr Parham works with a young woman who, because of a felony on her record, has been unable to find paying work in a job she is passionate about. Her frustration has led to her feeling depressed, and the only factors keeping her from giving up are her religious faith and her desire to give her daughters a better life. Dr Parham works to help this client see the value in therapy, recognize her strengths, emphasizing her wisdom, faith, and intelligence, so that she may realize that she may already be prepared to make changes in her life.