Clinical Social Work Practice with Muslim Clients: A Relational Approach

Chapter
Part of the Essential Clinical Social Work Series book series (ECSWS)

Abstract

This chapter provides the student practitioner with background information about the beliefs and traditions of Muslims and guidance on effective clinical social work practice with this population. The information and discussion also may be valuable to advanced practitioners without experience in relational practice especially with Muslim clients. The authors paint a picture for the practitioner of the socio/historic context in which American Muslims live. Discussion about the intergroup diversity of the community, as well as the intrapersonal diversity of each American Muslim, will facilitate practitioners’ broader understanding of their Muslim client, the client family, and their representative community. The case vignette provides an illustration and understanding of the relational therapeutic experience of a clinical practitioner working with a Muslim family and the challenges both clinician and client experience in negotiating the treatment process. The diversity in cultural backgrounds and religious practice among Muslim individuals and families is reiterated throughout the chapter.

Keywords

Hate Crime Clinical Social Work Social Work Practice Relational Principle Opposite Gender 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

References

  1. Abu-Ras, W., & Abu-Bader, S. (2008). The impact of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the well-being of Arab Americans in New York City. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 3(2), 217–239. doi: 10.1080/15564900802487634.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Abu-Ras, W., Gheith, A., & Cournos, F. (2008). The Imam’s role in mental health promotion: A study at 22 mosques in New York City’s Muslim community. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 3(2), 155–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Ahmed, S. (2012). Converts to Islam. In S. Ahmed & M. M. Amer (Eds.), Counseling Muslims (pp. 229–250). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.Google Scholar
  4. Ali, S., Liu, W., & Humedian, M. (2004). Islam 101: Understanding the religion and therapy implications. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35(6), 635–642. doi: 10.1037/0735_7028.35.6.635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Fourth ed., Text Revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.Google Scholar
  6. Armstrong, K. (2000). Islam: A short history. New York: The Modern Library.Google Scholar
  7. Baker Miller, J. (2012). Five good things. Wellesley: Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women.Google Scholar
  8. Berzoff, J. (2011). Why we need a biopsychosocial perspective with vulnerable, oppressed, and at-risk clients. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 81(2–3), 132–166. doi: 10.1080/003773217.2011.590768.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Brandell, J. (2004). Psychodynamic social work. New York: Columbia University Press.Google Scholar
  10. Bromberg, P. (1996). Standing in the spaces: The multiplicity of self and the psychoanalytic relationship. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 32, 509–535.Google Scholar
  11. Bromberg, P. (2011). The shadow of the tsunami and growth of the relational mind. New York: Taylor and Francis.Google Scholar
  12. Canda, E., & Furman, L. (1999). Spiritual diversity in social work practice. New York: The Free Press.Google Scholar
  13. Carolan, M., Bagherina, G., Juhari, R., Himelright, J., & Mouton-Sanders, M. (2000). Contemporary Muslim families: Research and practice. Contemporary Family Therapy, 22(1), 67–79. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Chaudhry, S., & Li, C. (2011). Is solution-focused brief therapy culturally appropriate for Muslim American counselees? Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 41, 109–113. doi: 10.1007/s 10879-010-9153-1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR). (2011). The status of Muslim civil rights in the United States 2009: Seeking full inclusion. Retrieved July, 2011 from www.cair.com/civilrightsreports.aspx.
  16. Daneshpour, M. (1998). Muslim families and family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 24(3), 355–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. El-Amin, C. (2009). Personal and professional spirituality: Muslim social workers’ perspectives. Unpublished dissertation, Walden University.Google Scholar
  18. El-Amin Naeem, Z. (2008). Jihad of the soul. New York: The Niyah Company.Google Scholar
  19. Graham, J., Bradshaw, C., & Trew, J. (2010). Cultural considerations for social service agencies working with Muslim clients. Social Work, 55(4), 337–347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Greenberg, J., & Mitchell, S. A. (1983). Object relations in psychoanalytic theory. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
  21. Greenson, R. (1967). The technique and practice of psychoanalysis (Vol. 1). New York: International Universities Press.Google Scholar
  22. Hodge, D. (2005). Social work and the house of Islam: Orienting practitioners to the beliefs and values of Muslims in the United States. Social Work, 50(2), 162–173. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Hodge, D., & Nadir, A. (2008). Moving toward culturally competent practice with Muslims: Modifying cognitive therapy with Islamic tenets. Social Work, 53(1), 31–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Hodge, D., Boughman, L., & Cummings, J. (2006). Moving toward spiritual competency: Deconstructing religious stereotypes and spiritual prejudices in social work literature. Journal of Social Service Research, 32(4), 211–231. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Hopkins, N., & Kahni-Hopkins, V. (2006). Minority group members’ theories of intergroup contact: A case study of British Muslim’s conceptualizations of “Islamophobia” and social change. British Journal of Social Psychology, 45, 245–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Islamic Social Services Association. (2003). Muslim culture and faith: A guide for social service providers. Tempe, AZ: Islamic Social Services Association. Revised Edition.Google Scholar
  27. Jordan, J. (2000). The role of mutual empathy in relational/cultural therapy. JCLP/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 56(8), 1005–1016. doi: 10.1002/1097-4679(200008).Google Scholar
  28. Khan, Z. (2006). Attitudes toward counseling and alternative support among Muslims in Toledo, Ohio. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 1(1), 21–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. McWilliams, N. (1999). Psychoanalytic case formulation. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
  30. McWilliams, N. (2000). On teaching psychoanalysis in anti-analytic times: A polemic. The American Journal of Psycho Analysis, 60(4), 371–390. doi: doi:10.1023/A: 1002046915249.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Nadir, P. (2003). An act of faith: Voices of young Muslim women in America. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University.Google Scholar
  32. Nadir, A., & Dziegielewski, S. F. (2001). Islam. In M. Van Hook, B. Hugen, & M. A. Aguilar (Eds.), Spirituality with religious traditions in social work practice (pp. 146–162). Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
  33. Nadir, A., & El-Amin, C. (2012). Home-based social services. In S. Ahmed & M. M. Amer (Eds.), Counseling Muslims: Handbook of mental health issues and interventions (pp. 197–211). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.Google Scholar
  34. Nakhaima, J. M., & Dicks, B. H. (1995). Social work practice with religious families. Families in Society, 76(6), 360–369. Retrieved from ProQuest database.Google Scholar
  35. Padela, A., & Heisler, M. (2010). The association of perceived abuse & discrimination after September 11, 2001, with psychological distress, and health status among Arab Americans. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 284–291. doi: 10.21051ajph.2009.164954.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Panagopoulos, C. (2006). The polls – Trends: Arab and Muslim Americans and Islam in the aftermath of 9/11. Public Opinion Quarterly, 70(4), 608–624.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Rippy, A. E., & Newman, E. (2006). Perceived religious discrimination and its relationship to anxiety and paranoia among Muslim Americans. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 1(1), 5–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Tosone, C. (2004). Relational social work: Honoring the tradition. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 74(3), 475–487.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Islamic Social Services Association - USATempeUSA
  2. 2.Detroit Public Schools Social WorkerDetroitUSA
  3. 3.Arizona State UniversityPhoenixUSA

Personalised recommendations