MAPS Conferences

Workshop II

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
Traditional and Alternative Healing Practices in Contemporary Portuguese-speaking Communities

Mental Health: Engaging Different Cultures in Psychotherapy: Stigma and Benefits

Chair & Moderator
Zarita A. Araujo
LICSW President, Founder, CEO, Cross Cultural Communication Systems, Inc.
Faculty, Cambridge College and Bentley College

Jonathan Bolton, M.D.
Medical Director, Portuguese Mental Health Team, Cambridge
Health Alliance Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Clinical Assistant Professor, Brown University School of Medicine

Panelists
Lucieny Passamani
Case Worker/Immigrant Social Service and Domestic Violence Prevention Advocate, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS)

I will focus my presentation on the difficulties in developing the prevention on Domestic Violence in the Portuguese-speaking community.

I have been working at MAPS with the Domestic Violence prevention program for over two years. During this time, I have encountered many cultural barriers that make it difficult for victims to look for and to accept help. Some of these cultural barriers are language difficulties, immigration issues, religion, fear of being alone and misinformation on Domestic Violence, and so on.

I also have encountered lack of services adapted for the Portuguese-speaking communities such as shelters, legal advice, support groups, immigration laws, Portuguese speaker Domestic Violence worker and others.

The number of referrals for domestic violence has grown tremendously over this year. The reasons for this growth are the workshop that we organized about domestic violence for the Portuguese community religious leaders, referral from other agencies, and word of mouth referrals.

M. Marcos Amaral, Psy.D.
Staff Psychologist, East Cambridge Portuguese Clinic, Cambridge Health Alliance
Staff Psychologist, Victims of Violence Program, Cambridge Health Alliance
Private Practice, Arlington, MA

The clinical evaluation of six adult individual with DSM-IV diagnosis participating in-group psychotherapy will be evaluated. The group leader uses psychodynamic theory to provide psychotherapy for Brazilian men coping with life stressors and psychological problems as immigrants in America.

The goal of the group is to provide a safe place for Brazilian men to talk about their lives. Participants become cognizant of and capable of expressing their feelings, to increase social awareness, improve their interpersonal skills, solve psychological problems and develop critical thinking skills.

Group members focus their discussions around current life events issues and discuss present and past life histories within group dynamics. Issues involve psychological problems, social taboos, politics, religion and migration. These discussions provide group members with a rich context in which therapeutic work takes place.

The group promotes development of trust and a sense of belonging, with support and commitment to the group. Group members gain insight into their problems and mutual understanding. They develop the ability to express their feelings and mourn what was left behind in Brazil.

Participants discuss goals and become aware of personal limitations, but at the same time begin to understand the possibility of achieving those goals. In addition, group members develop social and interpersonal skills and gain a sense of empowerment. Members develop an increase awareness of the growing role Brazilians play in American Society.

The parameters used for the development of this group were based on the group leader’s knowledge and understanding of group therapy work acquired through leading group therapy for over ten years. In addition, the theories of group therapy developed by the psychologist Masha Vannicelli, the author of the book Removing the Road Blocks, and the reflections of the sociologist Paulo Freire, author of The Pedagogy of the Oppressed, were employed in the development of this group.

The group was developed using certain guidelines. Before being accepted into the group, potential members pass through a screening interview and sign a contract with the group. Prior to a new member joining the group, current group member explore their feelings about a new participant joining.

When the new member comes on board, old and new group member discuss their feelings again. The group spends one session introducing itself to the new member while the new member introduces himself.

At the end of this discussion, a group psychotherapy session will be used as a vignette to provide the audience with a clear understanding of group interventions. Interventions are used in certain circumstances:

• The group member comes in late
• The group member monopolizes the conversation
• The group member does not participate
• The group member is not comfortable with feeling
• The group member minimizes the experience of others
• The group member avoids talking about group dynamics

Susanne Haskell, PsyD
Administrative director of the Portuguese Mental Health Team at The Cambridge Hospital/Cambridge Health Alliance
Instructor in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Private practice testing and consulting for area schools

Children and Families: Redefining the Therapist’s Role

Cross cultural psychotherapy often involves adapting conventional treatment approaches to encompass the full context of an individual. Working with Portuguese –speaking immigrant children and families is no different and requires the wearing of numerous hats: these roles include, but are not limited to, interpreter/translator, advocate, educator, mediator, case worker, and psychotherapist. Using case examples, this presentation will focus on the need to address: 1) psycho-education about mental health treatment – fears, stigma, expectations, etc.; 2) the family history in context, both here in the US and in the country of origin, and the transition between the two; and 3) the importance of navigating, and communicating between, systems: school, legal, medical, psychiatric; and local/state and other social service agencies. Trying to smooth and strengthen the fabric of these underserved communities makes this challenging, time-consuming and important work.

Gordon Harper, MD
Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Medical Director, Child and Adolescent Services, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health

Participants in the workshop “Challenges Facing Cape Verdean Families” will review the adaptive challenges that come with immigration in Massachusetts, including those faced by all immigrant groups, those unique to Cape Verdeans, and those arising from exposure to economic uncertainty and community violence in Massachusetts. Participants will share ways to support families in facing these challenges.

Back to top.

Copyright © 2002 Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Inc. All rights reserved.