Description:

This card deck is designed for Chinese American family therapy sessions in which the counselor can facilitate the flow of the discussion. The cards are aimed towards encouraging discussion and communication on subjects that may not normally be discussed among Chinese American families. This is to recognize that families may have had to overcome obstacles to seek professional psychological help, as surveys indicated that it is not often the first option considered due to high values of enculturation (Miller et al., 2011). Acknowledging acculturation gaps, many of the cards prompt discussion surrounding generational differences, in order to spark communication where part of the root of conflicts may lie (Miller et al., 2011). Furthermore, the card deck opens discussion to talk about expectations from both sides, as "children and parents live in different social worlds, this being the direct result of the acculturation discrepancy" (Kim, 2003).

Guidelines:

Although this is considered an ice breaker activity, it is recommended to establish a "strong therapeutic alliance" (Sim et al., 2017) beforehand as to respect the cultural hierarchy within. A crucial factor to keep in mind is that "parents' power is highly valued, whereas children's rights to [...] express feelings are often discouraged" (Sim et al., 2017). So it falls onto the counselor's responsibility to keep a healthy balance during the discussion to let all opinions be heard, while maintaining hierarchical respect. Additionally, an end-of-session reflection sheet is provided to conclude the activity and reinforce the ideas tackled, aiding in the consolidation of progress. These are intended for the clients to take home and reflect for next session.