Can Psychotherapy Be Exported Successfully to Other Diverse Cultures?

Posted: May 5th, 2020

In a 500-word pape using APA-style in-text citations, after reading chapter 13, what is your view—are you more of a cultural relativist or universalist on the issue of whether psychotherapy, developed in a Western European context, can be exported successfully to other diverse cultures? Ask at least one other student what their view is and discuss.?

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Can Psychotherapy Be Exported Successfully to Other Diverse Cultures?

Psychotherapy is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of interventions designed to help people with mental health problems. It has its roots in Western European culture, and as such, it has been criticized for being ethnocentric and for not taking into account the cultural factors that influence mental health.

There are two main perspectives on whether psychotherapy can be exported successfully to other cultures. The cultural relativist perspective argues that psychotherapy must be adapted to the specific cultural context in which it is being used. This means that the therapist must be aware of the cultural values, beliefs, and practices of the client, and must tailor the therapy accordingly. For example, a therapist working with a client from a collectivist culture might focus on family and community relationships, while a therapist working with a client from an individualistic culture might focus on the client’s individual goals and needs.

The universalist perspective argues that psychotherapy is a universal human process, and that the basic principles of therapy are the same regardless of culture. This means that the therapist should not need to adapt the therapy to the specific cultural context. However, universalists do acknowledge that there may be some cultural differences in how people express their emotions, and that the therapist should be sensitive to these differences.

My View

I believe that there is some truth to both the cultural relativist and universalist perspectives. On the one hand, I believe that it is important for therapists to be aware of the cultural factors that influence mental health, and to adapt the therapy accordingly. On the other hand, I also believe that there are some basic principles of psychotherapy that are universal, and that these principles can be applied to people from all cultures.

I think that the best approach to psychotherapy in a multicultural setting is to adopt a culturally sensitive approach. This means that the therapist should be aware of the cultural factors that influence mental health, but should not let these factors prevent them from providing effective therapy. The therapist should be flexible and willing to adapt the therapy to the specific needs of the client, but should also be confident in the basic principles of psychotherapy.

Discussion with Another Student

I spoke with another student in my class about this issue, and she shared her own views. She is a cultural relativist, and she believes that psychotherapy cannot be exported successfully to other cultures without being adapted. She argues that the values and beliefs of different cultures are so different that it is impossible to apply the same therapeutic techniques to people from all cultures.

I respect her opinion, but I still believe that there is some value in the universalist perspective. I think that it is important for therapists to be aware of the cultural factors that influence mental health, but I also believe that there are some basic principles of psychotherapy that are universal. I think that the best approach is to adopt a culturally sensitive approach, which means being aware of cultural factors but not letting them prevent you from providing effective therapy.

Conclusion

I believe that psychotherapy can be exported successfully to other cultures, but only if it is adapted to the specific cultural context. Therapists should be aware of the cultural factors that influence mental health, and should be flexible and willing to adapt the therapy to the specific needs of the client. However, I also believe that there are some basic principles of psychotherapy that are universal, and that these principles can be applied to people from all cultures.