This workshop will present the Strength Based Culturally Informed Integrative Therapy (SBCIIT) approach. This approach integrates different concepts, strategies, and techniques from various theories such as Strategic Therapy, MRI Brief Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution Focus Therapy, Family Systems, etc. It is founded on the belief that people have natural strengths that can be activated and harnessed to solve their life problems. Because it is an integrative approach it is also flexible and adaptable to working with many types of problems and in different settings. MRI pioneered the brief therapy concept which means results can be achieved within a relatively short period of time. A major premise is the idea that all therapy is multicultural therapy. This means that every client brings to therapy a unique world and therefore the challenge for every therapy is for the therapist to be able to enter the unique world of each client. This therapy method is especially adept at working with cultural differences as it is highly adaptable and therefore able to work within the unique world of the client. In addition, MRI is known for developing many innovative and creative (“out of the box”) techniques and interventions that have been very successful. These strategies and techniques can enhance effectiveness of therapists’ current methods.
This workshop will introduce the Strength Based Culturally Informed Integrative Therapy approach. There will be a discussion of the theory as well as different interventions. The Workshop will also provide a number of case examples that will highlight the principles and techniques of the approach.
Terry Soo-Hoo, Ph.D., ABPP, completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently a professor at the California State University East Bay in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. Prior to university teaching he devoted over twenty years working in Community Mental Health in San Francisco working with a diverse range of people with many different psychological problems. He was the Clinical Director of MRI for many years. He has published on multi-cultural issues in psychotherapy and consultation, and the application of a Strength Based Culturally Informed Integrative Approach to psychotherapy and consultation. In addition, he has special interests in the area of innovative culturally relevant approaches to psychotherapy. He has also provided extensive training, presentations and consultation on these topics to agencies and other professionals in different cities around the world.