Abstract
The beautiful black and brown faces on the cover of this book prepare the reader for the “who” of this brilliantly conceived volume of scholarly knowledge, practitioner wisdom and expertise, and practical resources. The chapter authors encourage practitioners to “see” adolescent girls of color not only for their challenges and vulnerabilities but also for their strengths and worthiness to lives of well-being and hope. This concise volume is brimming with resources and guidance for therapists—and graduate students training to be therapists—who want to increase their effectiveness as clinicians, gain an understanding of multicultural feminist psychology, and find ways to apply this knowledge to their interventions with girls of color and their families. This book would be a great addition to graduate and advanced undergraduate classes related to feminist psychology, culturally sensitive therapy, multicultural psychology, and adolescent psychology.
The Foreword effectively sets the stage for “why” this book is so needed, a work that shines a bright light on girls of color, highlighting both their challenges and potential for healing and thriving. Chapter 1 addresses the origins of multicultural feminist psychology which centralize the experiences of women and girls of color, capturing the complexity of their experiences, needs, and identities. This chapter includes a summary of the tenets of multicultural feminist therapy: egalitarian relationships, self-definition, cultural congruence, sociopolitical consciousness in the form of intersectional awareness, empowerment, and community support or interpersonal connection. These tenets provide the framework for conceptualizing effective and healing interventions for adolescent girls of color and provide foundational guideposts for the reader as the chapter writers address each group’s unique cultural experiences.
Central to this book are the chapters covering four cultural groups: Native American, African American, Asian American, and Latina. The contributors address how to best deliver culturally responsive therapy that is respectful, effective, and accounts for their unique sociocultural histories, risk factors, and life circumstances and challenges. Each chapter contains an overview of theoretical knowledge and scholarly contributions as well as identifying gaps in the research. This book also includes definitions of terms such as “womanist” and “mujerista” psychotherapies, describing their relevance for addressing a range of important aspects related to spirituality, coping, healing, and thriving. Each chapter concludes with case examples and practical recommendations for therapists seeking increased awareness and competence in meeting the complex mental health needs of adolescent girls of color.
There is acknowledgment of the incompleteness of this book as it does not include the complex intersectional experiences of Middle Eastern, Arab American, African immigrant (American), Indian, Muslim, Jewish, and Caribbean adolescent girls. The writers also reference the need for more research on the intersectional identities of girls of color who are same-gender loving, genderqueer, and those with disabilities.
The final chapter includes a detailed description of a 6-week therapeutic empowerment group intervention that integrates the themes and theoretical knowledge of the previous chapters. The group is aptly named, THRIVE, an acronym for Touchstones, Healing Hearts, Road to the Future, Intimate Issues, Voice, and Empowerment. This chapter is a wonderful, user-friendly guide that is directly transferable to clinical work.
While there is discussion in every section of the book about the dire psychological challenges faced by adolescent girls who are navigating the realities of sexism, racism, and other societal factors, there is also emphasis on the importance of the protective buffers of family, spirituality, creativity, and activism. This emphasis allows the reader to gain knowledge of both the harsh internal and external risk factors faced by girls of color and to learn more about approaches within multicultural feminist therapy that can be used to promote their health and well-being.
