Exploring Immigrant and Sexual Minority Mental Health

Exploring Immigrant and Sexual Minority Mental Health provides mental health practitioners with up-to-date theory, cutting-edge research, and therapeutic strategies to assist them in their work with multicultural clients. By focusing on the immigrant psyche, this volume hones in on appropriate counseling interventions and effective, culturally-specific psychotherapeutic practices by introducing the use of Diversity and Identity Formation Therapy (DIFT), a theoretical concept designed for immigrant and sexual minority identity formation. This work can be used in interdisciplinary settings and is applicable for those working in a number of mental health disciplines including counseling, social work, therapy, and more.

Pavna K. Sodhi, EdD, is a psychotherapist, researcher, and educator in Ottawa. Her research merges mental health issues with concepts surrounding identity formation. Her work on immigrant issues, ethnic identity formation, sexual minorities, and multicultural mental health concerns has been featured in both national and international scholarly journals and books. She is fluent in English, French, and Punjabi.

List of Figures and Tables Foreword Peter Gamlin Acknowledgements Introduction to Exploring Immigrant and Sexual Minority Mental Health: Reconsidering Multiculturalism I. Migration Patterns and Diasporic Experiences Introduction 1. Pre-Migration Visions, Reasons for Immigration, and Post-Migration Obstacles and Challenges 2. The Family Context 3. Employment Barriers and Financial Stability 4. Mental Health Concerns 2. Identity Development and Models Introduction 5. Ethnic Identity Formation 6. Sexual Identity Development 7. Intersection of Ethnic Identity Formation and Sexual Identity Development 3. Emerging Trends in Multicultural Psychotherapy Introduction 8. Cultural Competencies and Clinical Logistics 9. Multi-Theoretical Perspective Applicable to Immigrant and Sexual Minority Populations 10. Diversity and Identity Formation Framework (DIFT) 11. Future Directions and Concluding Thoughts Index