African American lesbians and other culturally diverse people in psychodynamic psychotherapies : useful paradigms or oxymoron?

B. Greene

The treatment of African American lesbians and other culturally diverse people in psychodynamic psychotherapies has been challenged as inappropriate. The Eurocentric, sexist, and heterocentric origins of these therapies have been viewed as intrinsically insensitive to the unique needs of diverse group members. Moreover, they have been viewed as pathologizing of nondominant cultural values and behaviors, while legitimizing the social pathologies of dominant groups. This discussion, however, argues that there is great diversity in the theories and practice of psychodynamic therapies, that they have undergone significant revisions since their origins in classical theory, and that there are minority and majority opinions within the "culture" of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory and practice. I also propose that the prevalence of dominant cultural identities among psychodynamic theoreticians and therapists is a significant factor in the practice of therapy and the development of theoretical paradigms. The usefulness of innovative psychodynamic paradigms in addressing some of the unique challenges associated with socially disadvantaged group membership is also explored.[Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center. The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA]