The Big Sick is a fresh-spirited, sad, uplifting, culturally aware and remarkably entertaining film, based on the real-life romance between Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, Emily Gordon. It is particularly suitable for our ever-changing world. As therapists we must work with individuals with varying backgrounds, as well as multi- and cross-cultural couples, inter-racial and inter-ethnic couples, and partners in same-sex marriages. Many people do not realize that when they intermarry, they are tying the knot with an entire culture, and that their spouses bring their own ethnic ‘trousseau’ with them. “Marry me, marry my family.” This film presents current day issues around an inter-ethnic couple who must deal with cultural differences and family and societal pressures.

[Abbreviated film due to time constraints]

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending this course, participants should be able to:

• Explore the multicultural differences and changes in our society and its application to clinical practice
• Learn how to determine what is mental health vis-a-vis cultural differences; how much is abuse or violation of human rights and how much is culturally determined
• Delineate the different therapeutic techniques that might be useful with people from diverse cultural backgrounds
• Identify potential cultural biases in countertransference

Jill Lummus, PsyD, an advanced candidate at the New Center for Psychoanalysis, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Beverly Hills. She is responsible for teaching and training the doctoral students at Airport Marina Counseling Service.  She is also on the faculty of NCP's Psychoanaltyic Psychotherapy Program, teaching courses in gender and sexuality, as well as psychosis.  She is the first recipient of the Elyn Saks' scholarship for the study of psychosis and psychotic states of mind.

Joan Lachkar, PhD, is a licensed Marriage and Family therapist in private practice in Sherman Oaks, who teaches and practices psychotherapy using a psychodynamic approach. She is the author of five books and numerous publications on marital and political conflict.

Pricing & CE Credits

• $20 with 2.5 CE Credits
• $10 without CE Credit