The Colors of Childhood: Separation-Individuation across Cultural, Racial, and Ethnic Diversity

Psychotherapy is undergoing a cultural rejuvenation. The cultural relativism of its developmental and structural postulates has been acknowledged. We are seeing more clearly how ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, religious and linguistic differences between therapists and patients can affect their dialogue in profound ways. Such recognition is welcome accompaniment to an emerging theoretical pluralism, as well as a response to the shifting population patterns throughout the world, and, more specifically the changing demographic make-up of the United States, which is becoming a truly multiethnic and multiracial nation. This book is a clinically rich celebration of these important changes. Starting from a separation-individuation perspective, its noted authors discuss essential cultural issues in child rearing and clinical practice. With chapters on African-American, Japanese and South American cultures, among others, this book should be useful reading for both experienced clinicians and students in today’s multicultural world.