Abstract
Today, the world represents a battlefield between people of diverse nationalistic groups and different political regimes, where the fight is often over access to natural resources. As a result, many women are forced to flee their countries due to the increased persecution, violence, and torture that often follow civil conflicts. Many of these women require counselling to address the psychological impact of their refugee experiences. This chapter is a story about the refugee Azra and her mental health concerns that resulted from the trauma she suffered during the civil war in Bosnia. This chapter is also a story of the therapeutic relationship between Azra and her counsellor, Dr. Ivana, including the descriptions of the initial and subsequent counselling sessions through a culture-infused counselling lens that includes social advocacy. Dr. Ivana’s personal reflections regarding Azra’s presenting concerns, counsellor factors, and the role of social justice in the counselling process are discussed. Lastly, implications for counsellors related to assessment, counsellor education, and promotion of social justice are presented. Questions for reflection and discussion as well as learning activities are introduced to help the readers orient themselves to a culture-infused counselling (Collins & Arthur, 2010a, 2010b, see Chap. 2) lens with refugees.
Keywords
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Al-Roubaiy, N. S., Own-Pugh, V., & Wheeler, S. (2013). The experience of exile-related stress among Iraqi refugee men in Sweden and its implications for counseling and psychotherapy: A qualitative study. Counselling Psychology Review, 28(2), 53–67. Retrieved from https://shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publication-by-series/counselling-psychology-review.html
Anderson, A., Hamilton, R., Moore, D., Loewen, S., & Frater-Mathieson, K. (2004). Education of refugee children: Theoretical perspectives and best practices. In R. Hamilton & D. Moore (Eds.), Educational interventions for refugees children: Theoretical perspectives and implementing best practices (pp. 1–11). New York: Routledge.
Anderson, H., & Goolishian, H. (1992). The client is the expert: A not-knowing approach to therapy. In S. McNamee & K. J. Gergen (Eds.), Therapy as social construction (pp. 25–39). London: Sage.
Anonymous. (2016). Being a refugee in Turkey and Western Europe: How it affects mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Intervention 2016, 2, 114–116.
Arthur, N., Merali, N., & Djuraskovic, I. (2010). Facilitating the journey between cultures: Counselling immigrants and refugees. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-infused counselling (2nd ed., pp. 285–314). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts.
Bemak, F., & Chung, R. C. (2002). Counselling and psychotherapy with refugees. In P. B. Pedersen, J. G. Draguns, W. J. Lonner, & J. E. Trimble (Eds.), Counseling across cultures (5th ed., pp. 209–232). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Bemak, F., & Chung, R. C. (2017). Refugee trauma: Culturally responsive counseling interventions. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95, 299–308. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12144.
Bemak, F., Chung, R. C., Talleyrand, R. M., Jones, H., & Daquin, J. (2011). Implementing multicultural social justice strategies in counselor education training programs. Journal of Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 3, 29–43. Retrieved from http://www.psysr.org/jsacp/bemak-v3n1-11_29-43.pdf
Bemak, F., Chung, R. C. Y., & Pedersen, P. B. (2003). Counseling refugees: A psychosocial approach to innovative multicultural interventions. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 5–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01087.
Berry, J. W. (2001). Psychology of immigration. Journal of Social Issues, 57, 615–631. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00231.
Berry, J. W. (2005). Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29, 697–712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.07.013.
Berry, J. W. (2006). Stress perspectives on acculturation. In D. L. Sam & J. W. Berry (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of acculturation psychology (pp. 43–57). New York: The Cambridge University Press.
Bochner, S. (2003). Culture shock due to contact with unfamiliar cultures. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 8, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1073.
Boston, P. (2005). Doing deconstruction. Journal of Family Therapy, 27, 272–275. http://dx.doi.org.ahs.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/j.1467
Bruhn, M., Rees, S., Mohsin, M., Silove, D., & Carlsson, J. (2018). The range and impact of postmigration stressors during treatment of trauma-affected refugees. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 206, 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000774.
Chung, R. C., Bemak, F., Ortiz, P., & Sandoval-Perez, P. A. (2008). Promoting the mental health of immigrants: A multicultural/social justice perspective. Journal of Counseling and Development, 86, 310–317. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00514.x.
Chung Yan, M., & Anucha, U. (2017). Setting the context for human services practice with immigrants and refugees in Canada. In M. Chung Yan & U. Anucha (Eds.), Working with immigrants and refugees: Issues, theories, and approaches for social work and human service practice (pp. 1–20). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada. (2016). Welcome Refugees: Milestones and key figures. Retrieved from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/welcome/index.asp?utm_source=cic-homepage-eng&utm_medium=homepage-feature&utm_campaign=refugees2015
Collins, S. (2010). The complexity of identity: Appreciating multiplicity and intersectionality. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-infused counselling (2nd ed., pp. 247–258). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts.
Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2010a). Culture-infused counselling: A fresh look at a classic framework of multicultural counseling competencies. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 23(2), 203–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515071003798204.
Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2010b). Culture-infused counselling: A framework for multicultural competence. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-infused counselling (2nd ed., pp. 45–66). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts.
Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2010c). Future directions in culture-infused counselling. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-Infused Counselling (2nd ed., pp. 449–466). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts.
Cutts, L. (2011). Integration in counselling psychology: To what purpose? Counselling Psychology Review, 26(2), 38–48. Retrieved from http://shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publication-by-series/counselling-psychology-review.html
Djuraskovic, I. (2014). Interrupted journeys: The experiences of refugee women in counselling. Doctoral dissertation. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1652
Djuraskovic, I., & Arthur, N. (2009). The acculturation of former Yugoslavian refugees. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 43, 18–34. Retrieved from http://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/cjc/
Duncan, B. L., Miller, S. D., & Sparks, J. A. (2004). The heroic client: A revolutionary way to improve effectiveness through client-directed, outcome informed therapy (Rev. ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Foronda, C. L. (2008). A concept analysis of cultural sensitivity. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 19, 207–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043659608317093.
Gkionakis, N. (2016). The refugee crisis in Greece: Training border security, police, volunteers and aid workers in psychological first aid. Intervention, 14, 73–79. Retrieved from https://www.interventionjournal.com/sites/default/files/The_refugee_crisis_in_Greece___training_border.8.pdf
Gray, A., & Elliot, S. (2001). Refugee resettlement research project ‘Refugee Voices’: Literature review. Retrieved from https://nzrefugeeresearch.wikispaces.com/file/view/Refugee+Voice+-+Refugee+Resettlement+Research+Project.pd
Hays, P. A. (2008). Addressing cultural complexities in practice (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Kallivayalil, D. (2013). Women seeking political asylum: Negotiating authority, gender, and lost home. Women & Therapy, 36, 319–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2013.797845.
King, R. U., & Cheung, M. (2017). Working with immigrant women and families. In M. Chung Yan & U. Anucha (Eds.), Working with immigrants and refugees: Issues, theories, and approaches for social work and human service practice (pp. 181–199). Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Kunz, E. F. (1973). The refugee in flight: Kinetic model and forms of displacement. International Migration Review, 7, 125–146. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3002423
Kunz, E. F. (1981). Exile and resettlement: Refugee theory. International Migration Review, 15(1–2), 42–51. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2545323
Lee, P. L. (2013). Making new precious: Working with survivors of torture and asylum seekers. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, 1, 1–10. Retrieved from http://dulwichcentre.com.au/international-journal-of-narrative-therapy-and-community-work/
Leibert, T. W., & Dunne-Bryant, A. (2015). Do common factors account for counseling outcome. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93, 225–235. http://dx.doi.org.ahs.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/j.1556
Miller, S. D., Duncan, B. L., & Hubble, M. A. (1997). Escape from Babel: Toward a unifying language for psychotherapy practice. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Mollica, R. F., & Caspi-Yavin, Y. (1991). Measuring torture and torture-related symptoms. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 3, 581–587. https://doi.org/10.1037/1040-3590.3.4.581.
Navas, M., García, M. C., Sánchez, J., Rojas, A. J., Pumares, P., & Fernández, J. S. (2005). Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM): New contributions with regard to the study of acculturation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29, 21–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2005.04.001.
Phinney, J. (2002). Ethnic identity and acculturation. In K. M. Chun &, P. B. Organista, & G. Marin (Eds.), Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement, and applied research (pp. 63–81). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Phinney, S. J., & Ong, A. D. (2007). Conceptualization and measurement of ethnic identity: Current status and future directions. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 271–281. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.54.3.271.
Silove, D., Ventevogel, P., & Rees, S. (2017). The contemporary refugee crisis: an overview of mental health challenges. World Psychiatry, 16, 130–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20438.
Simich, L. (2003). Negotiating boundaries of refugee resettlement: A study of settlement patterns and social support. Canadian Review of Sociology, 40, 575–591. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-618X.2003.tb00006.x
Social Sciences Research Council Summer Seminar on Acculturation. (1954). Acculturation: An exploratory formulation, 1953. American Anthropologist, 56, 973–1000. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/664755
Tribe, R. (2002). Mental health of refugees and asylum seekers. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 8, 240–248. https://doi.org/10.1192/apt.8.4.240.
Turković, S., Hovens, J. E., & Gregurek, R. (2004). Strengthening psychological health in war victims and refugees. In J. P. Wilson & B. Drožđek (Eds.), Broken spirits: The treatment of traumatized asylum seekers, refugees, war and torture victims (pp. 221–242). New York: Brunner-Routledge.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2016). Resettlement. Retrieved from http://www.unhcr.org/resettlement.html
Vera, E. M., & Speight, S. L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counselling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counselling Psychologist, 31, 253–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000003031003001.
Waldegrave, C. (2012). Developing a ‘just therapy’: Context and ascription of meaning. In A. Lock & T. Strong (Eds.), Discursive perspectives in therapeutic practice (pp. 197–211). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Wampold, B. E. (2010). The research evidence for the common factors models: A historically situated perspective. In B. L. Duncan, S. D. Miller, B. E. Wampold, & M. A. Hubble (Eds.), The heart & soul of change: Delivering what works in therapy (2nd ed., pp. 49–81). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Wampold, B. E. (2015). How important are the common factors in psychotherapy? An update. World Psychiatry, 14, 270–277. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20238.
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. London: Routledge.
Wilson, J. P. (2004). Theoretical, conceptual, and sociocultural considerations: Introduction. In J. P. Wilson & B. Drožđek (Eds.), Broken spirits: The treatment of traumatized asylum seekers, refugees, war and torture victims (pp. 3–6). New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Đurašković, I. (2018). Intersections of Gender and Refugee Experience: Through Azra’s Eyes. In: Arthur, N. (eds) Counselling in Cultural Contexts. International and Cultural Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00090-5_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00090-5_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-00089-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-00090-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)