Bernice Rossman

PhD, has been Director of Research and Training at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic and Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Child Psychiatry. Has written books and articles on psychosomatic families, on anorexia and diabetes following the structural model of family therapy.

Umberta Telfener: I met her at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, she was a researcher and a curious woman. To me a safe person, who would always welcome me in her office. I was included in a research of hers, the hypothesis being that a family would get better sooner if treated by a therapist of its own culture. At the PCGC we were from many Countries and we entered the research both consulting with families of our background and of different ones. Bernice found with great surprise that we were more effective if we did not know deeply the culture of our clients, otherwise we had too many prejudices that were limiting us in proposing chores and initiatives. When consulting with an Italian family, for example, I would not dare to ask a father to go to the park with his child alone, since in Italy I was not used to this habit. When meeting with a wasp family or a jewish one, with an African-American one, I would dare much more not having their behaviors embodied in me.