Thomas A Parham

For courses in Introduction to Psychology, African American Psychology, African American Studies, Multicultural Counseling and Cross Cultural Counseling and Psychotherapy. This text highlights the limitations of traditional psychological theories and approaches when applied to people of African descent. It provides information on how the African Centered Perspective is defined, as well as how it operates in the context of the African American family with regard to identity development, education, mental health, research, and managing contemporary issues. It links the context of African American life to the traditions, values and spiritual essence of their African ancestors in an attempt to acknowledge the African worldview and assist the African American community in addressing some of the challenges they continue to face.

For courses in Introduction to Psychology, African American Psychology, African American Studies, Multicultural Counseling and Cross Cultural Counseling and Psychotherapy. This text highlights the limitations of traditional psychological theories and approaches when applied to people of African descent. It provides information on how the African Centered Perspective is defined, as well as how it operates in the context of the African American family with regard to identity development, education, mental health, research, and managing contemporary issues. It links the context of African American life to the traditions, values and spiritual essence of their African ancestors in an attempt to acknowledge the African worldview and assist the African American community in addressing some of the challenges they continue to face.

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.

Though important strides have been made in the last three decades in the research efforts on African Americans, there continues to be a lack of significant new understanding about the impact of the African American culture on the therapy process and dynamics. This volume provides an in-depth analysis of the counseling literature pertaining to African American clients. Specifically, the analysis includes a review of the different variables (client, counselor, counseling process, and assessment) that have received the bulk of research attention. This sets the stage for the presentation of a counseling model for African American clients. The authors discuss philosophical premises upon which the model is based and suggest specific counseling strategies and interventions related to the model. Case study material is integrated throughout the chapters, focusing on individual and group approaches. This volume is an important work for counseling professionals as well as for students in social work and counseling programs.