Western counseling theories often require cultural adaptation to resonate with and benefit clients from Asian cultural backgrounds, where values and philosophies such as filial piety, interdependence, harmony, or endurance (nhẫn, gaman) shape personal, family, and community life. This poster presentation aims to explore how Asian cultural values and philosophies, Relational Cultural Therapy (RCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) complement and enrich each other to offer a more culturally aligned framework for working with Asian clients in therapy. The poster will first present a conceptual guide to integration and show how RCT's emphasis on mutual empathy and growth-fostering relationships aligns with collectivist cultural values, while ACT's focus on psychological flexibility parallels Buddhist and Confucian traditions of acceptance and values-driven living. Together, these frameworks provide therapists with tools to bridge cultural and theoretical divides in clinical practice. Then, the poster will present two case studies to illustrate this integration in action. "TW," a college-aged Chinese client, demonstrates how ACT practices supported anxiety, identity exploration, and psychological flexibility. "LN," an 8th-grade Vietnamese client, illustrates the use of RCT, empathy, and validation to address suicidal ideation, familial conflict, and cultural tensions in the parent-child relationship. Both cases demonstrate how integrating Asian values with RCT and ACT not only enhances the therapeutic progress but also affirms clients' cultural strengths.

Authors:
Kiet Pham, University of Washington, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Kiet Pham is currently a PhD student at the University of Washington's School Psychology program. As a school psychologist, he is interested in culturally responsive practices for students of color and juvenile justice-involved youth.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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