Cultural competence in the treatment of political refugees based on system approaches

This article analyses the integrative trauma focused systemic treatment, developed for refugee families with regard to current views on cultural competence. The contextualized and multifaceted conceptual framework and flexible settings that facilitate treatment of culturally diverse populations are described and illustrated with a case example. The potential pitfalls of cultural competence as a strategy in addressing cultural diversity are discussed. The importance of implementing different markers of diversity, including the political dimensions applied in the process of assessment, building therapeutic relationship and treatment is underlined.