By Rajesh Mehta, MD and Tony Colangelo, MD
This presentation explores a psychotherapy case through the dual lens of attending and trainee perspectives. The session highlights how immigration experiences and cultural context shape trauma, identity, and engagement in psychotherapy. Using the Cultural Formulation Interview framework, the presenters examine the development of a “survival mentality” in the context of trauma and uncertainty, and how this influences the patient’s ability to form relationships, imagine a future, and engage in treatment.
The presentation also emphasizes the role of systems-level support – including language services, financial assistance, and interdisciplinary collaboration – in reducing external stressors and enabling meaningful psychotherapy. Through reflective supervision, the attending and fellow demonstrate how trauma, culture, and systemic factors can be integrated into a coherent therapeutic approach. This case underscores the importance of culturally informed psychotherapy, supervision, and holistic care in improving outcomes for immigrant patients.
