Community genograms : using individual, family, and cultural narratives with clients

Preface: The Community Genogram xi Toward a Community Spirit xii Case Material xiii Practice Exercises xiii Releasing Client Creativity xiii Overview of the Book xiv A Step Closer xv Acknowledgments xvii 1. The Community Genogram: Understanding Clients in Their Communities 1 Graphic Assessment Devices: Visualizing the Hidden Structure of Our Lives 2 The Community Genogram Perspective: Capturing Individual, Relational, Family, Community, and Cultural Relationships 4 Using Community Genograms Throughout the Counseling and Therapy Process 11 Conclusion: The Map Is Not the Terrain 15 2. How to Construct and Interpret Community Genograms: Exploring Self-in-Relation and Family-in-Relation 16 Clarifying Various Definitions of Self and Family 16 Defining Self, Family, and the Community: Practice Questions 18 A Broad View of Extended Family: Elizabeth 22 Contents The Separate Entity–Relational Entity Continuum 24 Constructing the Community Genogram 27 The Significance of Strengths and Positive Resources: The Case of Jason 37 Practice Exercise: Identifying Individual, Family, Community, and Cultural Strengths 39 Conclusion: Empowering Our Clients 41 3. Tapping the Liberating Qualities of Culture and Community in Counseling and Therapy 42 (with Anthony J. Rigazio-DiGilio) Identifying Cultural Influences: Practice Questions 43 Cultural Empathy 44 Going Beyond Cultural Empathy: Practice Questions 45 Exploring Boundaries 46 Exploring Power 47 Cultural Identity Theory: Practice Questions 51 The Community Genogram: A Clinical Tool for Cultural Liberation 56 Conclusion: Liberate the Potential of Inherited Cultural Legacies 67 4. Exploring Life Span Development with the Community Genogram 69 Values and Traits: Practice Questions 69 Narratives and Cognitive-Emotional Responses 70 Major Themes Over the Life Span: Elizabeth 71 Using the Multicultural Cube 73 A Life Span Community Genogram 79 Tailoring the Community Genogram to Client Need 89 Conclusion: Interactive Assessment Methods and Treatment Planning 90 5. Contextualizing the Self in Counseling and Therapy 93 Setting a Safe and Enabling Context for Treatment 94 Using Community Genograms in Treatment: Illustrative Dialogues 95 Conclusion: Client Meaning Making and the Community Genogram 111 vi Contents 6. Using Community Genograms with Families: A Coconstructivist Perspective 112 Defining Coconstructivism 112 Differentiating Postmodern Counseling Theories 113 Coconstructivist Treatment 116 A Portrait of Treatment: The Case of Tina and Kathy 120 Conclusion: Illustrating the Story Line 136 Epilogue 137 Using the Community Genogram Within a Larger Repertoire of Clinical Practice 137 Conclusion: The Importance of Context 139 References 141 Index 149 About the Authors and Contributor 157