In conversations with counselors, it seems that many of them, both African American and white, still believe that there is no difference between the way you treat an African American family and a white family, or for that matter, any other kind of family. This does not seem to be any great revelation since most African American and white family counselors are educated from European and American perspectives, and tend to believe that “counseling-is-counseling”; and that most people, as well as families, have the same basic drives, motivations, and psychodynam-ics. It is questionable whether traditional approaches to treatment have a great deal of relevance to the African American experience—without some modifications. Some patterns that whites consider maladaptive may not be considered maladaptive found within the African American culture. Family counselors must be careful when exploring role responsibilities and boundaries in distinguishing between functional and dysfunctional systems in the African American family (Boyd-Franklin, 1984).

Any appropriate treatment model focusing on the African American family will need to incorporate aspects of culture thought to be basic to the adaptive functioning of the family. It is hypothesized that the premise upon which family counseling is built, as it pertain to African American families, may be faulty (McAdoo, 1977). The many cultural dimensions of African American families are usually not fully considered when the family is engaged in counseling. Any appropriate family treatment model should clarify and demonstrate some understanding of values and behaviors considered essential to the understanding of behavioral dynamics found within the family; and, the total experience be taken into account. The technique used must con-sider the patient’s ethnic group, culture, and race. “Therapists who understand and accept this theoretical position will have little difficulty modifying their technique in ways that take into ac-count such determinants of behavior” (Lyles & Carter, 1982, p. 1123).

Experience seems to indicate that African American clients have come from a different place and have many different ideas about counseling. The experience of slavery and subsequent treatment has impacted the family in such a way as to influence the dynamics that go on within the family structure. This causes the African American family to behave differently from other groups and to manifest its pathology in different ways. With respect to this differentiation, there is a need to treat the African American family along slightly different lines than you would other groups.

When a counselor engages a family, more than likely the counselor will be dealing with a family system that is different from the counselor’s own. The clinician has a value system, a cul-tural background, and a host of experiences, which will usually be different from the family be-ing treated. It then becomes necessary for counselors to explore their own belief system, percep-tions and prejudice. They also need to be aware of the cultural values of the families with whom they work (Boyd-Franklin, 1984). This is to imply that African American families are not homo-geneous, but are as heterogeneous as the culture from which they live, and must be treated as such.

Many African Americans have not been able to afford counseling, and thus, have not grown accustomed to being able to utilize it. The individual has mostly considered counseling a luxury, and has been concerned with more concrete issues (food, clothing, and shelter). African Americans have always relied on a network of kinships, friendships, relatives, and neighbors for help, as well as counseling and guidance; with very little reliance upon community agencies (McAdoo, 1977). The church and the extended family have always been important factors to consider when working with an African American family. This is seemingly true because of such factors as discrimination and racism, which caused them to rely on a kin network rather than to trust outsiders. Counselors are usually considered outside this network and are, therefore, con-sidered a threat to the confidential nature of their personal thoughts, feelings and troubles. The family may not be willing to discuss personal issues until a relationship of trust has been devel-oped (Boyd-Franklin, 1984). “While the white family may utilize a community institution, blacks turn to their own family or extended family in times of crisis” (McAdoo, 1977, p. 77). In many cases, the family will find no resources to help with the family problem, and the resources that are available are not viewed as sympathetic to the minority experience.

It is true that bureaucracies in the past have had a very racist way of prying into the af-fairs of families while providing services. So, the family has developed distrust for agencies, feeling that the counselor is just another person prying into their business. Another issue is that African Americans are generally forced to come in for counseling by one institution or another—therefore they resist. A family that is more aware of the purpose of counseling and comes on their own will likely be more motivated to come for the treatment sessions. The counselors must be active and extend themselves to acquaint the family with the therapeutic process (Boyd-Franklin, 1984). Confidence and trust must be earned; it is not automatically given (Sager & Braboy, 1970).