| Abstract: | Discusses the psychological issues involved in having White therapists treat Black clients. The topics examined are the importance of the White therapist understanding his or her own feelings, countertransference, the detrimental effect of therapist guilt, and the impact of the therapist's need to be powerful. Also explored are the need for awareness of client–therapist interpersonal similarity and the need for an understanding of our social system for effective psychotherapy. Concrete suggestions are offered for helping therapists deal more effectively with Black clients. The White therapist–Black client relationship is proposed as a paradigm of how people with differing values learn to help each other. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
