Toward a meta-framework for addressing antisemitism in psychotherapy: Ecological Systems Theory in clinical practice

Rising antisemitism in the United States has brought about an urgent need to address client distress shaped by antisemitism in psychotherapeutic treatment contexts. Despite this growing need, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding how clinicians can conceptualize and address antisemitism in treatment. At the same time, within the current literature, there remains a significant debate about the appropriateness of anti-oppressive frameworks to understand Jewish experiences with antisemitism. This paper proposes Ecological Systems Theory (EST) as a meta-framework for understanding and addressing antisemitism in psychotherapeutic treatment that neither endorses nor rejects anti-oppressive frameworks. This is in service of a unifying common ground through which clinicians from diverse theoretical orientations can effectively treat their Jewish clients experiencing mental health challenges related to antisemitism. Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, EST offers a comprehensive lens through which the reciprocal relationships between individuals and their intimate to more peripheral environments can be captured and utilized to inform clinical interventions. Trauma theory and spirituality are also incorporated as sub-lenses under the larger umbrella of EST to deepen case conceptualization. Through a composite case analysis of a client presenting with anxiety within a context of growing antisemitism, fundamental concepts of EST will be illustrated alongside trauma theory and spirituality. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.