Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-l82ql Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-27T20:19:13.501Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 7 - Use of the Gottman Method with African American Couples Impacted by Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome

from Part III - Adapting Major Therapeutic Approaches for Work with African American Couples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

Yamonte Cooper
Affiliation:
El Camino College, Torrance, California
Erica Holmes
Affiliation:
Antioch University, Los Angeles
Get access

Summary

This chapter explores the trauma and challenges Black couples have faced along with the impact of Dr. Joy DeGruy’s theory of Post-Traumatic Slavery Syndrome (PTSS). The central theory of the Gottman Method for couples therapy is reviewed along with special considerations that should be given and ways it can be enhanced in work with Black couples. Specific Gottman interventions aree explored along with how they can be aligned with trauma informed/culturally responsive care. Case conceptualizations of three African American couples who have been impacted by PTSS and treated using Gottman Method interventions are also presented.

Type
Chapter
Information
Black Couples Therapy
Clinical Theory and Practice
, pp. 166 - 192
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bent-Goodley, T. (2014). In circle: A healthy relationship, domestic violence, and HIV intervention for African American couples. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 24, 105114.Google Scholar
Bent-Goodley, T., Fairfax, C. N., & Carlton-LaNey, I. (2017). The significance of African-centered social work for social work practice. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 27, 16.Google Scholar
Cohn, D., Passel, J. S., Wang, W., & Livingston, G. (2011, December 14). Barely half of U.S. adults are married – A record low. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2011/12/14/barely-half-of-u-s-adults-are-married-a-record-low/Google Scholar
Davis, R. G., Ressler, K. J., Schwartz, A. C., Stephens, K. J., & Bradley, R. G. (2008). Treatment barriers for low-income, urban African Americans with undiagnosed posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21(2), 218222. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20313CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeGruy, J. A. (2017). Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: American’s legacy of enduring injury and healing (rev. ed.). Joy DeGruy Publications Inc.Google Scholar
Franke, K. M. (1999). Becoming a citizen: Reconstruction era regulations of African American marriages. Yale Journal of Law and the Humanities, 11, 251309.Google Scholar
Gaskin, D. J., Headen, A. E. Jr., & White-Means, S. I. (2004). Racial disparities in health and wealth: The effects of slavery and past discrimination. Review of Black Political Economy, 32(3–4), 95110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12114-005-1007-9Google Scholar
Giddings, P. J. (2014) When and where I enter. HarperCollins e-Books.Google Scholar
Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (2016). Level 1 clinical training: Gottman Method couples therapy, bridging the couple chasm. Gottman Institute.Google Scholar
Gottman, J. M., & Gottman, J. S. (2017). Treating affairs and trauma. Gottman Institute.Google Scholar
Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making marriage work. Harmony Books.Google Scholar
Grier, W. H., & Cobbs, P. M. (1968). Black rage. Basic Books.Google Scholar
Guthrie, R. V. (2004). Even the rat was white: A historical view of psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Kugelmass, H. (2016). “Sorry, I’m not accepting new patients”: An audit study of access to mental health care. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 57(2), 168183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Levenson, J. (2017, January 1). Trauma-informed social work practice. Social Work, 62(2), 105113.Google Scholar
Mikle, K. S., & Gilbert, D. J. (2019). A systemic review of culturally relevant marriage and couple relationship education programs for African-American couples. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 28(1), 5075.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. (n.d.). Supporting an African American healthy marriage initiative. Retrieved October 15, 2022, from http://www.healthymarriageinfo.org/resource-detail/supporting-an-african-american-healthy-marriage-initiative/Google Scholar
Patton, S. (2017). Spare the kids: Why whupping children won’t save Black America. Beacon Press.Google Scholar
Schofield, W. (1964). Psychotherapy: The purchase of friendship. Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Whaley, A. L. (2001). Cultural mistrust: An important psychological construct for diagnosis and treatment of African Americans. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32(6), 555562.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×