Sociocultural Trauma and Well-Being in Eastern European Family Therapy

This book examines the effects of sociocultural trauma throughout the 20^th century on interpersonal and family relationships in five Eastern European countries, drawing on the perspectives of mental health practitioners. Chapters employ a systemic perspective to explore the unique social, political, and cultural contexts that influence relationships in each country with a particular focus on implications for psychological and relational well-being. The volume demonstrates the importance of examining the cultural and sociocontextual nuances and complexity that may influence the impact of historical events on relationships, elucidating similarities and differences among countries in how the collective trauma has influenced them. It assists family therapists and other mental health practitioners in recognizing cultural and social factors that may influence their work with families, individuals, or couples living in these countries or who have immigrated from them.

Keyareas of coverage include:

• Descriptions of each country’s experience of sociocultural trauma and the current social-cultural-economic-political contexts.
• Impact of trauma on interpersonal relationships across various social locations and national and ethnic identities within the existing borders.
• Current challenges, recommendations for clinical practice, and future directions for research and practice.

Sociocultural Trauma and Well-Being in Eastern European Family Therapy is an essential resource for clinicians, therapists, and practitioners as well as researchers, professors, and graduate students in family studies, clinical psychology, and public health as well as all interrelated disciplines.

Chapter 1. An Introduction to Sociocultural Trauma and Its Impact on Relational Well-Being.- Chapter 2. A Contextual Approach to Historical Intergenerational Trauma and Hope in Hungary.- Chapter 3. Sociocultural Trauma and Resilience Among Marginalized Families in Moldova.- Chapter 4. Healing from Collective Sociocultural Trauma in Romania: Identity, Security, and Belonging.- Chapter 5. Overcoming Complex Sociocultural Trauma and Building Relational Trust and Justice in Russia.- Chapter 6. Sociocultural Traumatization and Resilience in 21st Century Serbian Family Relations.- Chapter 7. Intergenerational Effects of Sociocultural Trauma in Eastern Europeans.- Chapter 8. Future Direction in Research and Clinical Practice with Sociocultural Trauma in Eastern Europeans.

Tatiana Glebova, Ph.D., LMFT, is professor of Couple and Family Therapy Program at Alliant International University, Sacramento CA, USA. She has published more than 30 articles and book chapters and has made numerous professional presentations at national and international conferences on various topics, including family therapy process, family relationships, international family therapy, contextual therapy, and clinical work with immigrant families. Along with her academic work, she is a practicing family therapist working with immigrant families.

Carmen Knudson-Martin, Ph.D., LMFT, is professor emerita of Marital, Couple, and Family Therapy Program at Lewis & Clark College, Portland OR, USA. She has published more than 100 articles and book chapters on the influence of the larger sociocultural context in couple and family relationships and the political and ethical implications of therapist actions on relational development in clinical practice. She is the developer of Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy, which addresses the microprocesses by which societal power processes play out in couple and family relationships. Dr. Knudson-Martin is editor/author of three books: Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy–Bridging Emotion, Societal Context, and Couple Interaction; Couples, Gender, and Power–Creating Change in Intimate Relationships; and Socioculturally Attuned Family Therapy: Guidelines for Equitable Theory and Practice. She was the 2017 recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to Family Therapy Theory and Practice award from the American Academy of Family Therapy.