Abstract
Postmodern and critical theories have become important theoretical paradigms encouraging therapists to honor diversity and combat oppressive social structures and practices. However, at times, these two paradigms have been thought to position therapists in contradictory ways, with critical models advocating for activism and postmodern models encouraging pluralism. In many ways, these two therapeutic positions have come to characterize two distinct ways of conceptualizing therapist roles, with little conversation about how to embrace both stances in clinical practice. Through a grounded theory analysis, fifteen family therapists known for working within postmodern and critical paradigms shared with us how they navigate between positions of activism and pluralism in clinical practice. We found that therapists described their work in similar ways, engaging in a set of shared constructionist practices: therapist transparency, Inquiry as intervention, and staying experience near, and also employed therapeutic activism in different ways, with counter activism and collaborative activism representing two distinct stances.
Keywords: postmodernism, critical theory, collaborative activism, social justice
LLU Discipline
Marital and Family Therapy
Department
Marital and Family Therapy
School
School of Behavioral Health
First Advisor
Knudson-Martin, Carmen
Second Advisor
Huenergardt, Douglas
Third Advisor
Oloo, Winetta Baker
Fourth Advisor
Tuttle, Amy
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Level
Ph.D.
Year Degree Awarded
2014
Date (Title Page)
6-2014
Language
English
Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings
Postmodernism; Family Psychotherapy; Family Therapy; Psychoanalytic Interpretation; Psychological Theory; Self-Assessment
Subject - Local
Collaborative Activism; Social Justice; Critical Theory; Family Therapy; Activism; Therapist Transparency
Type
Dissertation
Page Count
144
Digital Format
Digital Publisher
Loma Linda University Libraries
Copyright
Author
Usage Rights
This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.
Recommended Citation
White, Justine Anne, "Navigating Postmodernism & Critical Theory in Family Therapy" (2014). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 185.
https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/185
Collection
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Collection Website
http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/
Repository
Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives