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Syracuse University SURFACE Dissertations - ALL SURFACE December 2017 “IN OUR OWN WORDS”: THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION INTO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF RELATIONAL THERAPY WITH WHITE THERAPISTS Melody Michele Brown Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Brown, Melody Michele, "“IN OUR OWN WORDS”: THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION INTO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF RELATIONAL THERAPY WITH WHITE THERAPISTS" (2017). Dissertations - ALL. 820. https://surface.syr.edu/etd/820 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the SURFACE at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations - ALL by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT The consideration of one’s cultural context is a critical component of systemic therapy. Marriage and family therapy literature underscores this importance with a wealth of information on working with various diverse family systems. The literature has not adequately reflected the voices of the African American client. The purpose of this study was to understand the African American experience in relational therapy with White clinicians. Phenomenological methodology was employed via semi-structured interviews with eleven participants across the United States. The findings revealed three themes (lived experiences of African Americans, lack of culturally responsive clinical practice, and what works in therapy ). The data also culminated in a formula that demonstrates the failure to practice through a culturally responsive lens. Inversely, a second, corrective, formula was proposed to attend to the cultural context of the client. There was agreement on what made treatment a positive experience which clustered around the character of the therapist, the therapist’s regard and respect for the client, and the level of skill demonstrated as part of the therapeutic work. Clinical recommendations include a more systemic approach to training therapists. Training from both a social justice and a self of the therapist lens is important as it allows clinicians to understand their impact. In systems theory, clinicians become a part of the client system to create a context in which change can occur (Becvar & Becvar, 2013). If a clinician does not understand themselves within the context of social justice dynamics, they risk subjecting their clients to the same injustices in therapy as they face consistently in their day to day lives. To ensure effective, culturally responsive clinicians in training, other levels of the system need to engage beyond administrative, fiduciary, and gatekeeper duties. “IN OUR OWN WORDS”: THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION INTO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF RELATIONAL THERAPY WITH WHITE THERAPISTS BY Melody Michele Brown B.A. University of New Orleans, 1993 M.A. Northeast Louisiana University, 1997 Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy Syracuse University December 2017 Copyright Melody M. Brown 2017 All Rights Reserved Acknowledgements My sincerest thanks to my defense committee for their time and guidance. Dyane, thank you for the extra time you spent helping me secure participants. To my core faculty, Drs. Ken Hardy, Anne Gosling, Suzanne Cunningham, Jonathan Sandberg, thank you for the moments that made me pause to consider how the world has impacted me and the power I have to consciously and compassionately impact others. Special thanks to Jonathan for your encouragement and daring me to share more of myself with those around me, especially my clients. So much of my upbringing taught me a different lesson, to guard and protect. While those lessons came from knowing the potential pain of being a Black woman, I now know healing the world happens through sharing more, not less of myself. To my advisor, Linda Stone Fish, your presence, genuine love, challenges and support carried me through this study and more importantly my coming out process, one of my most difficult and yet rewarding experiences. THANK YOU! Thank you, Amanda Earl, (ACE Assistant) and Teralyn Mitchell for your edits and revisions. To Cynthia Chen, thank you for ALWAYS plying me with the best coffee and food in Denver, and for the kick-in-the-butt I needed to “get it done”. Thank you to those who knew this process and carried me through it in so many ways, Maria Andrea Reinking, DeMarquis Clarke, Loree Johnson, & Rebecca Harvey. Thank you, Cathy, Bob, and Neena for opening your hearts and homes to me. I needed those quiet loving spaces. Carole thank you for EVERYTHING! ABSOLUTELY EVERTHING! To my sisters for life, Tameka, Michelle W. & Cheryl, Ochi, Donna, Alicia, and Delores. Thanks for always having my back. Tonja thanks for not needing words to know what this is like and for always standing in the gap! Aunt Jeanet, MaryAnn and “Nanny” I felt you with me all the way. To those who started with me but have transitioned…Lucille and Emanuel Brown, Mary Lena White, and Elnora White (Mama Sissy), I hope you’re seeing this…WE DID IT! Mom and Dad thanks for making this possible…from the day you gave me life until now. Thanks Ced, for always anticipating this day even when I wasn’t so sure. Kim, thanks for the “quick” stories that never ended…“I’m gonna tell you this and let you go”…I needed those laughs. You both stood with me through this as only siblings can. Thank you, Michelle, for seeing me through the ups and downs when I had to grind seven days a week. You saw the best and worst of me, all the tears and fears, and you loved me anyway! And last but first, thank you God (Goddess) for the footprints in the sand. iv Dedication I dedicate this work to Dr. Diane Estrada. You were the gift I didn’t know I needed. I simply could not have finished without you. Thank you for every reminder, nudge, hug and redirection. v Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................ i Title Page ............................................................................................................................ ii Copyright Notice ................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iv Dedication ............................................................................................................................v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi Chapter One: Introduction ...................................................................................................1 My Experience with White America .......................................................................1 Historical Perspective ..................................................................................3 Carla .............................................................................................................6 Anne Moody ................................................................................................7 Description of the Problem ......................................................................................9 Purpose of the Study ..............................................................................................10 Operational Definitions ..........................................................................................11 Chapter Two: Literature Review .......................................................................................16 African American Belief System ...........................................................................17 Group Needs over Individual Needs and Social Black Identity ................17 Differences across Age Groups .................................................................18 Black Identity .........................................................................................................20 Racial Group Identity .................................................................................20 Social Status, Moral Development and Identity ........................................21 Black Identity and Invisibility ...................................................................24 vi Rage in the African American Community ...........................................................26 Support Systems and Well-Being ..........................................................................30 Coping with Racism and Discrimination ...............................................................30 Stigma Management vs. Black Identity .....................................................32 Self-Esteem and Coping ............................................................................34 Cultural Mistrust ....................................................................................................35 Therapist Bias and Awareness of Privilege ...........................................................39 Theory and Research on Clinician Stereotypes and Bias ..........................40 Client-Therapist Ethnic Match and Preferred Styles of Treatment .......................42 International Consideration of Culturally Specific Needs .....................................48

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