Counseling Muslim Women: Navigating Cultural and Religious Challenges

Cook-Masaud, Carema; Wiggins, Marsha I.

doi:10.1002/j.2161-007x.2011.tb00035.x

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…These researchers have recommended focusing more on concepts (e.g., faith, prayer, discrimination) related to this main theme than other factors (e.g., ethnicity, nationality, race) to enhance wellbeing and address the issues more effectively with engaging more and diverse participants. The US Muslims, as a minority group, underutilize formal mental health services (Padela, Killawi, Forman, DeMonner, & Heisler, 2012) because mental health professionals and institutions do not provide biopsychosocial, spiritual, and contextually competent services to Muslims (Cook-Masaud & Wiggins, 2011;Tanhan & Francisco, 2019;Tanhan & Young, 2018), a finding that is consistent with those of previous studies on minority groups in general (Sun, Hoyt, Brockberg, Lam, & Tiwari, 2016). Bronfenbrenner (1977) has developed the EST in the late 1970s to offer a comprehensive and developmental framework that accounts for multiple factors that impact individuals constantly and simultaneously throughout their lives.…”

Section: Literature Reviews Muslim Mental Health Literaturesupporting

confidence: 53%

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Ecological Systems Theory: Addressing Muslim Mental Health Issues and Wellbeing

Tanhan

2019

2717-7564

151

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Muslims across the word underutilize mental health services for addressing their wellbeing and biopsychosocial, spiritual, and contextual issues. By 2030, the global Muslim population is expected to reach 2.2 billion people. This indicates that Muslim mental health is gaining importance and would require contextually (i.e., spiritually, culturally, empirically) more effective services. Practitioners used Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Ecological Systems Theory (EST) to promote wellbeing and address psychopathology for diverse groups. However, rigorous and comprehensive literature from 1986 to 2019 did not produce research addressing how ACT could be consumed to serve Muslims. Researchers in Muslim mental health have suggested benefitting from EST yet only few have mentioned using ACT. ACT is one of the most effective therapies based on randomized control trials to enhance wellbeing and address psychopathology. The main purposes of this paper are to (a) explain how ACT is one of the most appropriate counseling approaches to be utilized with Muslims because ACT and Islam have many commonalities and (b) propose ACT with EST perspective to enable a much more contextual perspective of ACT so that mental health professionals could promote wellbeing and address psychopathology at all ecological levels for all, starting with Muslims. With the arrival of third and fourth wave of counseling approaches, the use of positive psychology in research and practice has increased dramatically. ACT, Islam, and EST also highly stress a positive approach perspective thus considering of ACT and EST together might promise more effective research and practice in positive and abnormal psychology.

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Section: Literature Reviews Muslim Mental Health Literaturesupporting

confidence: 53%

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Ecological Systems Theory: Addressing Muslim Mental Health Issues and Wellbeing

Tanhan

2019

2717-7564

151

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“…As shown in the map, the institutional and professional factors are among the most important factors that affect a Muslim's approach to mental health services (Ahmed & Reddy, ; Cook‐Masaud & Wiggins, ). Muslims might not acknowledge and trust mental health providers because they do not address primary issues; for example, Muslim people might have urgent and primary needs such as safety, food, and prayer facilities.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As shown in the map, the institutional and professional factors are among the most important factors that affect a Muslim's approach to mental health services (Ahmed & Reddy, 2007;Cook-Masaud & Wiggins, 2011).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Muslims and mental health concerns: A social ecological model perspective

Tanhan

Francisco

2019

Journal Community Psychology

143

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Muslims in the United States experience many psychosocial issues and underutilize mental health services. This study sought to systematically identify the common issues and strengths of the Muslims affiliated with a college in the Southeast region of the United States and address them accordingly. A survey comprising 33 items and 2 open‐ended questions regarding common issues and strengths was constructed. A total of 116 participants completed the survey. The overall rating for items was quite high, whereas the satisfaction rating was very low. The most important item was, “You have prayer places/rugs, ablution stations, and water in restrooms,” with an importance rating of 94.52% and a satisfaction rating of 20.50%. Four items regarding mental health were rated as the least important, and participants reported lack of knowledge regarding mental health services. This is the first study that includes a list of common concerns and strengths of the Muslim communities affiliated with colleges in the United States.

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“…Participants reported some challenges, such as having to conceal their religion to avoid judgment, feeling misunderstood and therapists’ lack of understanding and cultural competence. Another study presented a case illustration which included discussion on challenges encountered by a non‐Muslim Caucasian clinician working with a Middle Eastern Muslim client (Cook‐Masaud and Wiggins, ). For example, the clinician reported struggling with the fact that her client viewed her as an authority figure, which conflicted with the clinician's attempt at collaborative treatment.…”

Section: A Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The experiences of non‐Muslim, Caucasian licensed marriage and family therapists working with South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim clients

Arshad

Falconier

2018

Journal of Family Therapy

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This qualitative study investigated the experiences of eight non‐Muslim, Caucasian licensed marriage and family therapists working with South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim clients. Semi‐structured interviews were used to examine the challenges and benefits that resulted from ethnic/racial and religious differences in therapy with clients of this population, and the strategies used or suggested by therapists in managing these differences. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and the themes that emerged were organized based on the areas of inquiry. Participants reported several challenges, including managing clients’ therapy expectations, engaging clients in therapy, understanding and accepting differences, and staying neutral. Participants described strategies they used and made recommendations on how to manage these challenges, including being aware of and acknowledging these differences and clarifying roles in therapy. Participants also identified benefits that derived from ethnic/racial and religious differences, such as finding it easier to make clients the experts and being able to provide an outsider perspective to clients. Practitioner points Non‐Muslim, Caucasian MFTs should be prepared to experience some challenges, but also some benefits, when working with South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim clients When working with this population, managing bias might be hard for therapists, and may require ongoing attention and work Recommendations provided by therapists in this study might be useful in managing the challenges that might arise from ethnic/racial and religious differences when working with the South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim population

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Counseling Muslim Women: Navigating Cultural and Religious Challenges

Cited by 13 publications

References 10 publications

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Ecological Systems Theory: Addressing Muslim Mental Health Issues and Wellbeing

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Ecological Systems Theory: Addressing Muslim Mental Health Issues and Wellbeing

Muslims and mental health concerns: A social ecological model perspective

The experiences of non‐Muslim, Caucasian licensed marriage and family therapists working with South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslim clients

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