As the United States population grows more culturally diverse, it is increasingly likely that psychologists will treat patients from dissimilar cultural backgrounds. Psychologists are often undecided about whether it is therapeutically appropriate to address cultural differences. Ten clinical considerations regarding the appropriateness of discussing cultural differences with patients are described. Examples are provided of how these suggested guidelines may apply to clinical practice. The literature that has supported addressing differences, including selected theoretical models, is cited in the context of these recommendations. All psychotherapy cases are distinct; therefore, these general guidelines should be adapted to the requirements of the individual patient.

Ten Considerations in Addressing Cultural Differences in Psychotherapy

Therapists may be confronted with clients whose sexual values and behaviors are different from their own To understand more about therapists' sexual values and how these values may affect therapy, the current study assessed therapists' sexual values for both themselves and their clients in the areas of premarital, casual, and extramarital sex, open marriages, sexual orientation, and sex in adolescence and late adulthood Therapists differed selectively in their sexual values depending on their gender, religious involvement, and political affiliation Therapists appeared comfortable working with a variety of sexual issues in therapy, and it appears that training in sexual issues is helpful in clinical work

Therapists' sexual values for self and clients: Implications for practice and training.

What are important and increasingly available settings for psychologists interested in practicing primary behavioral health care? Community health centers (CHCs) represent the medical "safety net" for millions of uninsured and medically underserved Americans. The recent push to expand mental health services at CHCs creates the need for psychologists and other mental health providers, particularly those familiar with primary behavioral health care approaches. Federal funding to recruit and retain psychologists at CHCs has increased along with opportunities for multidisciplinary service approaches and training. The potential ways in which psychologists can respond to demonstrated societal needs and develop new clinical skills and methods at CHCs are described.

Community Health Centers: Exciting Opportunities for the 21st Century.

Most service-oriented professionals express a desire to help others. But which professionals want to help those who most need their services? The authors assessed the degree to which values, motivations, and learning experiences were associated with a desire to work with underserved populations (UPs) among 135 future professionals who were majoring in helping fields in college. Desiring to work with UPs was positively associated with valuing autonomy, having experienced personal or family problems, and having an educator or helping professional as a parent, and it was negatively associated with having had strong interpersonal alliances. Implications for increasing the pool of professionals who wish to work with UPs are discussed.

Values, motivations, and learning experiences of future professionals : Who wants to serve underserved populations?

While a relatively small number of clinical psychology graduate programs offer specialized tracks in clinical geropsychology, the need for psychologists trained to work with older adults is increasing. This paper presents a model of training that could be adopted by generalist training programs to better prepare their students to work with older adults without creating a specialty program in geropsychology. The model identifies key domains of knowledge that should be covered, emphasizes service learning as a key element of training, provides a list of resources for faculty desiring to develop a geropsychology course, and suggests ways to overcome barriers that may prevent the implementation of the model.

Clinical Geropsychology Training in Generalist Doctoral Programs.

Although workforce trends indicate an oversupply of psychologists, demographic and epidemiological trends indicate an undersupply of psychologists working with underserved populations. This study surveyed members of the American Psychological Association regarding their perceptions of the rewards and barriers in work with underserved populations and how these perceptions affect interest, satisfaction, and engagement with these groups. Results confirm that practitioners were significantly more interested, engaged, and satisfied in their work with populations that are not underserved and perceived this work to be more rewarding and to involve fewer barriers. Practitioners who endorsed more rewards in work with underserved groups tend to be engaged in practice with these groups to a greater degree. The impact of these findings on recruitment, training, and retaining psychologists to work with underserved groups is discussed.

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pro/33/1/58.pdf

Sandra Johnston Kruse

Papers

Practitioners' perceptions of the vocational rewards in work with underserved groups: Implications for rightsizing the psychology workforce