[shivayoga] Dominicans & Cultural Awareness

Vazquez, C.I. (2005). Dominican Families. In McGoldrick, M.,
Giordano, J., & Pearce, J.
(Eds.) Ethnicity and family Therapy (3rd ed., pp216-228).

Dominican Families & Therapy
This article written by C. Vazquez is informational regarding family
dynamics, Dominican cultural ideologies, and possible difficulties
faced by Dominicans during the acculturation process into American
society. The article is laden with cultural-specifics on family
dynamics, linguistic and cultural idioms, and group-majority
tendencies. The author herself warns of the possible vulnerability
with which it can be misused through stereotyping and in my opinion
rightfully so. When dealing with the topic of acculturation, it
suffices to say that utmost care is needed. Immersion into a
receiving culture makes salient the differences between ones' native
culture and the new culture. The salient differences noticed by the
receiving culture can become vulnerabilities to the immigrant when
they are perceived as stereotypes by those in the receiving culture.
When differences are made trite, or are jaded by a negative light, we
fail to see them, as they are?simply cultural differences. The author
provides useful demographics along with cultural ideologies that she
feels helps to illustrate a picture of Dominican life. A discussion
of Dominican ideological concepts and linguistics provides some
insight on the Dominican world-view. She highlights possible
vulnerabilities due to cultural clashing points that may make
acculturation difficult, and problem areas confronted by members of
immigrated Dominican families and their post-immigration family
dynamics within American society. The author stresses on several
occasions that she feels the strongest clinical approach is
psychoeducational. She feels a working knowledge of Dominican values
is necessary. Finally, she stresses in closing that it is the
responsibility of the clinician to do so in a way that allows the
Dominican client to maintain a positive and healthy ethnic identity,
and the pride of preservation of their ethnic heritage.

by dani cranmer