The Spirit Catches You and You Fall by Ann Fadiman is a very interesting book. It's surprising how difficult it is for Americans to understand other cultures because the United States is such a diverse country. However, as an American, I understood the frustrations Lia Lee's doctors felt when trying to properly diagnose and treat her. In this book both American doctors and the Hmong people faced many difficulties and barriers in trying to communicate with each other. After reading this book I can understand where both groups were coming from and the reasons for their actions. I could only imagine the level of difficulty and anger that Lia's doctors and parents must have felt during that period of time. The two points I will talk about are questions one and two. Looking at the Lee family from a psycho-social perspective, I would say that they are a very close-knit family who appreciates their culture. His wife Foua is very independent in the sense that she gave birth to all her children except Lia, without any help or assistance from anyone. Also because she worked in the fields throughout her pregnancy. The husband, Nao Kao, is a very loving and supportive person to his wife and children. The Lees value their beliefs and believe strongly in their customs. They have close ties to other Hmong people, and although they have been taught their own healing remedies, they also somewhat accept Western customs. While reading this book, I identified many problems and stressors. Some of them include the language barrier, which has made it difficult for doctors to ask questions like what is the problem, where does it hurt, how bad is the pain, etc. The language barrier also made it difficult for the doctors to explain the diagnosis... ...middle of paper......they had already experienced. I think Jeanine taught them a valuable lesson in the sense that Americans are not all the same. Not all of us are able to understand other cultures and other peoples. We all do not pass judgment or view those who are different from us negatively. Not all Americans are trying to convert other people to their way of life. Not all of us believe that our culture is superior to others. Americans can be open-minded individuals. Not all Americans agree with all the laws in our country. Overall I believe that by having Jeanine as a social worker, Lee and Lia's doctors learned some valuable lessons. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall is a great read. I would recommend everyone to read this book, especially people whose profession requires doing in-depth work with people from different backgrounds and cultures..