Region as a Cultural Context in Family Therapy

Environmentally-constructed, regional culture as defined by geographic place is not generally included in family therapy research and training concerning race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other contextual factors. This grounded theory research project explores how practitioners working with families acknowledge, access, and use region as a cultural context in their service delivery, specifically in the New River Valley region of Southwest Virginia. Ecological theory, social construction theory, family systems theory, and cultural competency perspectives were used to frame the research questions, to develop the interview protocol, and to support the analysis of the properties and dimensions of the concepts and categories that emerged from the data analysis. The resulting grounded theory revealed that clinicians working with regionally distinct clients combine a client-centered approach with multiple-layers of regional knowledge and self-awareness.