The And Family Therapist Is Influenced By Personal...

The decision to embark on the journey to become a marriage and family therapist is commonly influenced by personal experiences that impact and transform an individual. My experience involves countless medical appointments, multiple misdiagnoses, and an extraordinary will to persevere. The culmination of this arduous experience was my son’s Autism diagnosis at the age of three, prior to this diagnosis I worked tirelessly to obtain the help my child my needed. Being a parent of a special needs child leaves little to no option of failing; hence my child has taught me to be strong, even in the most difficult and darkest times of my life. This experience inspired me to help other families and individuals encountering hardship. As I began the†¦show more content†¦The therapists I met adhered to the medical model, which in turn resulted in minimizing the importance of culture, personal experience, and knowledge of child rearing. Often times, I felt criticized and inadequate as a parent because I was not following the â€Å"North American† model of raising children. I migrated to this country in 1988, at the height of the Nicaraguan civil war in the midst of violence and famine. Nevertheless, my Nicaraguan culture transcended borders, including the collectivist form of raising children. In Nicaragua the entire family, including extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) help raise children. Undoubtedly, these child-rearing practices present unique challenges for Nicaraguan and Latino migrants living in a society that encourages and rewards individualism. Almost thirty years have passed since I migrated, but some traditions and culture remain unchanged. Consequently the idea of including extended family members in my child’s upbringing seemed unrealistic to most of the therapists I met; why would I want to include my extended family members in decisions concerning my child? Why would I want my mother’s opinion and guidance regarding my son’s Autism diagnosis? Nonetheless, this strange notion inhibited the therapeutic relationship, what was strange and appalling to some therapists, was normalized by a culturally competent marriage and family therapist. At last, I