An exploratory study of therapists' practices with Muslim clients: building rapport and discussing religion in therapy

This exploratory study intended to determine what approaches were useful for engaging and treating Muslim clients from the perspective of experienced therapists. Despite the growing population of Muslims in the United States, there remains a dearth of research on how to work therapeutically with these clients. To increase participation in treatment and decrease premature termination, the current literature suggested the importance of building rapport with Muslim clients and the value of discussing religion in therapy. This study aimed to investigate these factors in addition to discovering other critical recommendations for treating Muslim clients. Fifteen interviews were conducted with mental health providers, including psychologists, a social worker, and a psychiatrist. Additionally, they completed a survey to examine their opinions on the relevance, effectiveness, and likelihood of using 40 recommendations acquired from the literature along with their knowledge and use of common Islamic beliefs and practices. The interviews were analyzed by the Grounded Theory Methodology (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). Respondents first provided information about the common and distinctive problems faced by Muslim clients, their unique presentation styles, the stigma of seeking help, and the possible misconceptions of therapy. Results from the interviews indicated several major themes: the Importance of Knowledge, the Avoidance of Assumptions, the Significance of Rapport Building, the Incorporation of Religion, the Inclusion of the Family, and the Consideration of the Community. In regard to building rapport, the following ways were identified to connect with Muslim clients: provide psychoeducation about therapy, respect religion, normalize their experience, demonstrate empathy, convey openness to learning, and be less formal and more disclosing. Additionally, the three most recommended methods for including religion found in the study were to understand the impact of religion in the client’s life, suggest religious practices as a way to cope, and use Islamic knowledge to counter maladaptive beliefs and behaviors. Results from the survey revealed that therapists endorsed many but not all of the recommendations found in the literature. Implications for mental health providers working with Muslim clients and future research are suggested. Notably, it is especially critical for therapists to consider the wide diversity within the Muslim community.Psy. D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Zaynab Kha