Interracial, Intercultural, and Interfaith Couples and Families Across the Life Cycle A Clinician’s Guide

This book examines issues of intersectionality and multicultural competency, humility, and sensitivity necessary to work with interracial, intercultural, and interfaith couples. It describes a therapeutic approach that combines a social constructionist framework with ecological systems theory using an intersectional lens. Chapters explore key issues relevant to interracial, intercultural, and interfaith couples across the lifespan, including attraction and dating, cohabitation, marriage and polyamory, children, retirement as well as such potentially challenging topics as sex, politics, and religion.

Featured areas of coverage include:

•  How to apply ecological systems theory and social constructionism to guide self of the therapist reflections and clinical interventions that address the nuances of intersectionality among interracial, intercultural, and interfaith couples across the lifespan.
• Attention to intersectionality between therapists and clients.
• Strategies for addressing challenging issues within the current political environment in which diversity is debated and may become divisive.
• Case applications and extended reflections

Interracial, Intercultural, and Interfaith Couples and Families Across the Life Cycle: A Clinician’s Guide is an essential resource for clinicians, therapists, and practitioners as well as researchers, professors, and graduate students in family studies, clinical psychology, and public health, as well as all interrelated disciplines.

Chapter 1 Introduction to an Interracial Relationship: Where Do We Situate Ourselves? .- Chapter 2 Who am I? Who are You? Self of Therapist Exploration.- Chapter 3 What is This Attraction to Difference?.- Chapter 4 Interracial and Intercultural Dating and Couple Formation: How Can We Negotiate Our Differences?  .- Chapter 5 Interracial and Intercultural Cohabitation: How Do We Share Space Emotionally and Physically?.- Chapter 6 Exploring the “Rules” of Interracial Relationships: Marriage, Non-Monogamy, and Children.- Chapter 7 Navigating the Decades: Retirement and Expectations .- Chapter 8 Hot-button Topics: Can We Talk About Sex, Politics, and Religion?.

Gita Seshadri, Ph.D. LMFT, is an Associate Professor in the Couple and Family Therapy Program at Alliant International University, Sacramento, CA and online. She currently serves as the Branch Director at the Sacramento campus. Her research, publications, and presentations focus on interracial/intercultural/interreligious (secular) couples and families, diversity, intersectionality constructs, qualitative research, gender perspectives of power within culture, grief, anger management, relapse prevention, and sexuality. She works with diverse clinical populations and maintains a private practice. Her integrative approach focuses on support and empowerment through the lens of postmodern and modern theories.

Dumayi Gutierrez, Ph.D. LMFT, is an Assistant Professor in the Couple and Family Therapy Program at Alliant International University (San Diego, California and online). Dr. Gutierrez is devoted to working with marginalized communities. She has published and presented nationally on minority stress, intersectionality constructs of self and family systems, couple support systems, resiliencies of sexually marginalized and gender expansive Latinx populations, intersectional, culturally competent care, and women of color in higher education. She uses a narrative, experiential, and feminist approach, incorporating techniques of advocacy and empowerment. In addition, Dr Gutierrez has served as clinical coordinator and family therapist for the LGBTQ Counseling Clinic in Iowa, and The Gender & Family Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York City.