Religion as Invisible Culture: Knowing About and Knowing With

Abstract

ABSTRACT Each family's religious experience is unique. Families may be religiously bicultural, may differ in degree of orthodoxy or secularism, or may practice religion selectively. In many cases of family therapy, knowledge of religious culture could assist in treatment. The family therapist may best learn with the family, by respectful questioning about their unique family religious culture. Four cases of family therapy are presented, in which understanding of religious history, values, ritual and community facilitated positive outcomes of treatment. The use of genograms is recommended as a way of tracing religious influences within the multi-generational family system.