Journal Article

A Rite of Passage Approach Designed to Preserve the Families of Substance-Abusing African American Women

Poitier, Vanesta L., Niliwaambieni, Makini, Rowe, Cyprian Lamar

1997

Overview

This article approaches the treatment of addicted African American women in ways drawn from traditional African culture. While the modern African American woman is clearly not the same as her continental African foremother, the reality of her life is still predicated on the basis of her culture and her material wealth or lack of it. The approach recommended here, a rite of passage, derives from the belief that the value orientations drawn from the African wisdom of the ages offers the best way to work with families to recover both sobriety and a powerful understanding and repossession of culture that will help to ensure not only sobriety but also ways of holding together and rebuilding the families of today and the future.

• Publisher: Child Welfare League of America, Inc
• Subject: Adult / African Americans / African Culture / Beliefs / Black American people / Black culture / Black Family / Black people / Black women / Blacks / Child Rearing / Child Welfare / CLINICAL TECHNIQUES AND TREATMENT MODELS / Community Relations / Cultural Awareness / Cultural competence / Cultural Context / Cultural Maintenance / Culture / Drug Abuse / Drug abusers / Drug Addiction / Drug Therapy / Drug Use / Factors / Families & family life / Family / Family Life / Family preservation / Family Problems / Family Relationship / Family Role / Family Support / Female / Females / Humans / Maryland / Mothers / Outcomes of Treatment / Program Descriptions / Program Effectiveness / Repossession / Rites & ceremonies / Rites of Passage / Sobriety / Social Problems / Substance Abuse / Substance abuse treatment / Substance Abuse Treatment Centers - organization & administration / Substance-Related Disorders - therapy / Treatment / Treatment Programs / Value orientations / Wealth / Wisdom / Women