Culturally Sensitive Therapy: Balancing Tradition and Healing in Immigrant Families

Written by Haythem Lafhaj, PLMFT

When immigrant families enter therapy, they bring with them more than personal struggles—they carry histories, traditions, and cultural values that shape every aspect of their lives. For therapists, this means that healing is never just about solving individual problems. It’s about understanding how culture, identity, and family expectations interact with mental health.

As a Tunisian-born therapist raising my son in America, I live at the intersection of two cultures. I know firsthand the tension of honoring tradition while navigating the demands of a new society. This dual perspective deeply informs my work with immigrant families, reminding me that therapy must not only be effective but also culturally respectful.

Why Cultural Sensitivity Matters in Therapy

Research shows that therapy is more successful when clients feel their cultural background is understood and respected. Without this sensitivity, clients may disengage, feeling misunderstood or even judged. For immigrant families, the risk is even greater, as many already face language barriers, stigma around mental health, and pressures to adapt quickly to new norms.

Cultural sensitivity is not just about awareness—it’s about action. It involves shaping therapy sessions in ways that respect traditions while also introducing new strategies that support growth.

Common Challenges Immigrant Families Face in Therapy

Generational Gaps

Children often adapt more quickly to the host culture, creating conflict with parents who want to preserve traditional values.

Stigma Around Mental Health

In many cultures, seeking therapy is seen as weakness or shameful. This can prevent families from seeking help until crises arise.

Role of Religion and Spirituality

Faith traditions often provide resilience and meaning but can sometimes conflict with Western therapeutic models if not integrated thoughtfully.

Pressure to Succeed

Parents may emphasize academic or financial achievement, while children struggle with identity, belonging, and emotional well-being.

How Therapy Can Bridge Cultures

In my practice, I often use Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) as a culturally adaptable approach. SFBT emphasizes strengths, goals, and small successes—values that resonate across cultures. Instead of pathologizing problems, it highlights resilience, making it accessible to families who may be hesitant about therapy.

Some strategies include:

Culturally tailored communication: Adjusting language and metaphors to fit cultural contexts.

Family involvement: Recognizing that decisions in many cultures are collective, not individual.

Integration of faith and values: Encouraging clients to draw on spiritual or cultural practices as part of their healing journey.

A Tunisian-American Lens on Therapy

In my own life, I have felt the pull between Tunisian traditions and American ways of living. Growing up, respect for elders and family honor were non-negotiable values. In the U.S., individuality and personal choice often dominate. Many of my clients experience this same tension, and I find that therapy becomes a space to explore how to balance the best of both worlds.

For example, a Tunisian father may fear his child losing cultural identity in an American school system. Therapy can help the family develop strategies that honor heritage at home while supporting the child’s adaptation to school life. Rather than choosing one culture over the other, therapy becomes a bridge.

Final Thoughts

Culturally sensitive therapy is not about abandoning tradition or blindly adopting new norms. It is about balance—holding space for the wisdom of the past while embracing tools for the present.

Immigrant families don’t need to sacrifice identity for healing. They need therapy that acknowledges their unique journeys, validates their struggles, and empowers them to thrive in both worlds.

For me, this is not just professional work—it is personal. It is the story of my own family and the vision I hold for the families I serve: healing that honors culture, strengthens relationships, and nurtures resilience across generations.