Guest Article

Did You Know That 1 in 6 Newlyweds Are In Interracial Marriages?

Anita Tekchandani, AMFT

If you're a couple’s therapist, there's a strong chance you'll work with intercultural couples at some point in your practice.

I recently interviewed Javan Taherkhani, AMFT, to discuss his experience working with intercultural couples. This topic resonates with me personally, as I’m fascinated by how culture, societal influences, and personal narratives shape relationships.

Javan Taherkhani, AMFT, specializes in helping interracial couples navigate complex cultural differences, similarities, and challenges to improve relational harmony. His approach is grounded in authenticity, and he emphasizes safety and collaboration in the therapeutic process.

Interview with Javan Taherkhani, MA, AMFT
What inspired you to focus on therapy for intercultural couples?

During my practicum training, I was assigned several intercultural couples, and I found the work incredibly rewarding. I enjoyed witnessing their progress in therapy. Initially, my clinical focus was on working with Black males, which remains an area of interest for me.

What are the most common reasons interracial couples seek therapy?

In my experience, these couples typically don't present their racial or cultural differences as the primary issue. Instead, they often come in with the same concerns as other couples—issues like unmet emotional needs or patterns carried over from their families of origin.

Are there any common dynamics or patterns you tend to see?

Yes, the pursuer-distancer dynamic is common. I also frequently notice one partner invalidating or dismissing the other’s experiences. It’s crucial to address and monitor this dynamic early in therapy.

According to Ipsos, 1 in 3 couples argue about money. What financial issues do you see in intercultural relationships?

Often, one partner earns significantly more than the other, leading to resentment—especially if they also handle most of the household financial responsibilities. This pattern can stem from a family history where one parent managed all the finances.

It's also important to recognize and process the underlying emotions tied to money. Doing so can motivate both partners to make necessary changes.

Have you encountered cultural differences around money—for example, one partner wanting to support their parents financially, while the other does not?

I haven’t personally encountered this yet, but it’s something I’d approach by exploring each partner’s family-of-origin dynamics and their financial "blueprints." I’d help the couple identify shared values around money and, if needed, discuss options like allocating a specific amount for family support or maintaining separate accounts.

Have issues of power and privilege ever surfaced—for example, when one partner is from a historically marginalized group and the other is from a dominant racial group?

Yes. I worked with a couple where one partner was White and the other Black. The Black partner had internalized trauma from being looked down upon growing up. Living in a predominantly White community, he’s hyperaware of the subtle glances or stares they receive. He wants his partner not just to validate his experiences but to truly understand the nuances of power and privilege. Though his partner tries to be supportive, it often doesn’t feel like enough.

What advice would you offer clinicians interested in working with interracial couples?

I recommend approaching them as you would any couple—unless they bring up race or culture as a concern. Use an attachment-based framework along with other theoretical approaches to guide your work.

Anita Tekchandani, AMFT holds a Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. Through interviewing therapists, she gains insight and helps readers explore diverse perspectives in mental health. Anita would like to support clients who have experienced financial trauma, challenging workplace dynamics, and unfulfilled careers. Her approach would focus on fostering an internal locus of control and existential values to help clients move toward empowerment and meaningful growth.

Therapists of Color (TOC) Grant Award Committee

LA-CAMFT's Therapists of Color Grant Awardees and Thoughts

Marvin Whistler, Mediator

On February 24, 2025, the most recent awardees of the LA-CAMFT TOC GRANT AWARD were randomly selected. They are Cassidy Fan and Praisye Yeo.  Each will receive a check for $530, and free admission to 3 LA-CAMFT workshops or networking events with the exception of the Law & Ethics Workshop. The next cycle for the grant will begin on May 1, 2025.  It is limited to members of LA-CAMFT, and the award is limited to once per calendar year. At the end of this article, there is an update on the impact that the award has had on awardees and their thoughts on its value.

Description of Grant Stipend

Every 4 months (3x per year), a grant award will be offered to two applicants who meet the following criteria: (1) must be a current LA-CAMFT member, (2) identify as a Therapist of Color, and (3) must be either an Associate, Trainee, or Student still in graduate school.

Grant winners will receive

• $530 to be spent at the winner’s discretion
• Free admission to 3 LA-CAMFT workshops or networking events of the winner’s choosing with the exception of the Law & Ethics Workshop.

The $530 award can be used at the recipient’s discretion based on their own individual needs (whether it be for BBS fees, testing materials, memberships, rent, groceries, etc.). Confirmation for the purpose that the money is used will not be required.

Application and Selection Process

Interested members can complete the application on the LA-CAMFT website. The selection process entails using a Randomized Generator of the applicants who met the full criteria and complete the application online to take out human bias and decrease activation of one's trauma history. The drawing will be recorded via Zoom and posted onto social media along with an announcement naming the grant winners, whom will also be contacted via email directly. Registration for the next award cycle will open on May 1, 2025 and will close on June 28, 2025. The drawing will take place on June 29, 2025.

Awardees' thoughts on the LA-CAMFT TOC Grant Award

IMPACT OF THE GRANT

"It was very helpful. I was poor when I was an AMFT."

"The grant was very impactful as it eased the burden of some of the costs associated with the MFT process (training and supplies, L&E study materials, etc.)! The grant provided relief and helped finances feel less constrained as a trainee and now Associate."

"I found the grant very helpful to me particularly during a time when I was in dire need of additional funding & support to help keep me on track for the future."

"The grant was very impactful for me, as it helped me to pay my final fees, associated with my graduate program, so that I could finish strong. Every little bit counts, so I am very grateful to have been able to use this money to help toward that end."

VALUE OF THE GRANT

"I just want to express my sincere gratitude to the TOC Grant committee for this program as it truly helps alleviate some of the systemic socioeconomic gaps in this field that passionate therapists of color such as myself have to navigate in our journeys to becoming competent licensed mental health clinicians."

"I appreciate that this grant exists and can be applied to very easily. The gesture is meaningful and I hope other TOC are taking advantage of it."

"It really touched me. SFV chapter started giving scholarships too. I think TOC Grant was a positive influence to the therapists community."

"One additional comment I’d like to make is that it is very helpful that we are able to use the grant money at our own discretion. Removing limitations is advantageous because life happens to us all, and in order for us to be able to do our work well, sometimes we need to be able to address other situations, financially, that may directly or indirectly impact our work." 

Best regards,

The LA-CAMFT TOC Grant Committee

LA-CAMFT’s Declaration
of Inclusion, Diversity, and Anti-Racism

Psychotherapy can be transformative in a democratic society, and can open intellectual inquiry that, at its best, influences and results in lasting positive change. In recognition of our shared humanity and concern for our community and world, LA-CAMFT loudly and overtly disavows all racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, classism, ableism, ageism, and hate speech or actions that attempt to silence, threaten, and degrade others. We in LA-CAMFT leadership hereby affirm our solidarity with those individuals and groups most at risk and further declare that embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity are central to the mission of our organization.

As mental health professionals, we value critical reasoning, evidence-based arguments, self-reflection, and the imagination. We hope to inspire empathy, advocate for social and environmental justice, and provide an ethical framework for our clients, our community, and ourselves.

We in LA-CAMFT leadership are committed to:

(1) the recognition, respect, and affirmation of differences among peoples

(2) challenging oppression and structural and procedural inequities that exist in society, generally, and in local therapeutic, agency, and academic settings

(3) offering diverse programming content and presenters throughout our networking event calendar, as well as in our workshops, trainings, and special events

While we traverse the turbulent seas of the important and necessary changes taking place in our country, in order to form a “more perfect union.” we wish to convey our belief that within our community exists an immense capacity for hope. We believe in and have seen how psychotherapy, therapeutic relationships, and mental health professions can be agents of positive change, without ignoring or denying that the practice and business of psychiatry, psychology, and psychotherapy have historically been the cause of great harm, trauma, and emotional toll, particularly for people of color and other marginalized groups. We are committed to doing our part to help remedy that which we have the position, privilege, and/or resources to do so.

At LA-CAMFT events, all members are welcome regardless of race/ethnicity, gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, disabilities, religion, regional background, Veteran status, citizenship, status, nationality and other diverse identities that we each bring to our professions. We expect that leadership and members will promote an atmosphere of respect for all members of our community.

In a diverse community, the goal of inclusiveness encourages and appreciates expressions of different ideas, opinions, and beliefs, so that potentially divisive conversations and interactions become opportunities for intellectual and personal growth. LA-CAMFT leadership wants to embrace this opportunity to create and maintain inclusive and safe spaces for all of our members, free of bias, discrimination, and harassment, where people will be treated with respect and dignity and where all individuals are provided equitable opportunity to participate, contribute, and succeed.

We value your voice in this process. If you feel that our leadership or programming falls short of this commitment, we encourage you to get involved, and to begin a dialogue with those in leadership. It is undeniable that the success of LA-CAMFT relies on the participation, support, and understanding of all its members.

Wishing good health to you and yours, may you find yourself centered in feelings of abundance, safety, belonging, and peace.

Standing together,
The LA-CAMFT Board of Directors and Diversity Committee