This comprehensive literature review examines the issues involved in practicing psychotherapy with African-American women, and explores the adaptive coping styles utilized by black women in a antagonistic environment. Attention is given to the exploration of traditional resources utilized by the black woman in coping with her environment, such as kin and family support, as well as the exploration of new coping styles to be utilized by African-American women in an effort to deal with their daily environmental stresses. The key to effective coping for the African-American woman may be flexibility. Spirituality is an important construct and coping strategy within the African-American culture. Religious consciousness and spirituality may serve as important coping mechanisms for African-American women. Because current research on the African-American woman and mental health services suggests that the nature of the African-American woman's life lends itself to implementation of psychotherapeutic strategies, this paper focuses on ways in which traditional therapeutic processes can be adaptive in relation to the culture and ethnicity of the African-American woman. In conclusion, this paper identifies possible therapeutic interventions that will enhance the clinician's work with African-American women. (NB)