Mental Health Practice with Arab Families: The Implications of Spirituality vis-à-vis Islam

Abstract

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, it has become apparent that the inclusion or acknowledgment of spiritualism is critical to mental health practice regarding Arab families. Regretably, research on Arab families today is all but non-existent. Islam is the fastest growing form of spirituality in Central Asia. Practitioners who do not acknowledge this fact will be at a severe disadvantage in their attempts to treat Arabic clientele. It is not compulsory that practitioners endorse client belief systems or other aspects of their spirituality, but practitioners should acknowledge said systems as a critical point in the client's frame of reference. In the interest of social justice they are thus challenged to develop creative treatment strategies less confined to Western bias.