How to become a culturally competent therapist or coach

What is a culturally competent therapist?

A culturally competent therapist provides care that acknowledges the influence of societal and cultural identities on an individual’s wellbeing. 

A good culturally-responsive provider is committed to learning about the experiences of diverse people, while self-reflecting on their own opinions and behavior, so as to remain open and accepting without bringing their subconscious biases to their client. This can apply not only to therapists, but to coaches as well.

A rewarding part of offering culturally-informed care is the shift from a dynamic of power imbalance to one of collaborative exploration. Rather than the coach or therapist being the “expert”, the relationship becomes more collaborative, with the provider showing interest in continually learning about the client’s experience.

Do I have to be BIPOC to be a culturally competent therapist?

No, you don’t have to match the ethnicity of the client to practice culturally sensitive therapy effectively! In fact, it has been proven that ethnic matching is not the most important factor as far as outcomes are concerned. Some individuals even find that therapists who share their identity can be less helpful because they’ve internalized the same cultural expectations.

A key aspect of cultural competence is the opportunity to gain specialized training. This means going beyond that one class offered in grad school on multicultural counseling, and enhancing your skills with an up-to-date curriculum. This provides you with a strong foundation for delivering high-quality care that aligns with the values of being culturally responsive. 

One example of using culturally sensitive training to modify your practices applies to the concept of boundary-setting for Asian patients. Providers who are not culturally informed may advise patients to “go no contact” or “cut off their parents” to reduce stress and anxiety, without recognizing how this suggestion conflicts with cultural values on filial piety, intergenerational duty, and one’s sense of responsibility. This leads Asian clients to drop out of care because they do not feel understood or seen by their provider as soon as they hear instructions to “set boundaries.” Instead, cultural competency training encourages providers to think about how to address this bicultural tension without invalidating a client’s core values.

Why is it important to practice cultural competence in your care?

Work with diverse clients

By providing culturally-responsive mental health care, you can draw in a diverse clientele, which allows you to make an impact on a wider cross-section of society, while also expanding the reach of your practice.

Drive better outcomes

Practicing culturally responsive care can lead to better outcomes by building trust with your clients and allowing them to open up and be more vulnerable with you. This leads to more fulfillment in your job, as well as a better reputation amongst your clients for being an effective practitioner. This has been supported by many studies which show that inclusive practices reduce the chance of rupture in the therapeutic relationship.

Feel more connected with clients

The rate of premature dropout among BIPOC individuals is more than 50% after just one session, which is a major obstacle for providers to drive progress. Culturally sensitive therapists report feeling more connected to their clients and more respected, which plays a significant role in enhancing therapeutic alliance and keeping clients engaged in care. A therapist in the same study expressed “we're better and happier if we're inclusive and trying to be compassionate.”

Experience continuous learning 

Incorporating cultural competence in your practice is a valuable avenue for continued learning and expansion in your career. Not only will you learn actionable tools that can be implemented to upskill your practice, but you will also be learning as you go with every client you encounter. 

Rather than viewing therapy as a fixed career where you could plateau after a certain period of time, practicing cultural sensitivity will help you feel like you are always developing your compassion, empathy, and knowledge of the varied experiences that exist in the world, which in turn can help you achieve your mission to deliver best-in-class care.

Enhance accountability and repair language 

A core tenet of culturally competent care is accountability. Understanding the impact and consequences of your words and actions sets you apart from many providers who don’t make as much of an effort to develop this skill. Through this process, you will develop a wider vocabulary for repair as well as valuable tools for resolving difficulties in your therapeutic relationship with your clients.

5 signs you’d be a great culturally-competent therapist

You are a life-long learner

A culturally responsive provider commits to life-long learning. Your work extends beyond your client sessions as you proactively seek to learn more about diverse experiences. This is underpinned by the concept of cultural humility, coined by Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia in 1998. It implies an active and continual process of learning, where practitioners engage in self-reflection of their own opinions and behavior, as well as educating themselves on the histories and experiences of diverse populations.

You prioritize communication

A fundamental pillar of any therapeutic relationship is communication. This becomes even more significant when practicing culturally responsive care. You must be prepared to initiate honest, curious discussions with your clients, creating an open space for expression.This doesn’t mean utilizing one specific “perfect” communication style with your clients, but rather cultivating an awareness of how an individual’s social and cultural context may change how they communicate, as well as which communication styles they are receptive to. In this way, you can be adaptable and provide a personalized care experience to each client.

You know you’ll make mistakes – and that’s ok

A large part of providing effective, personalized care, is leaving room for mistakes and iteration. Whether it’s direct feedback (i.e. your client telling you that the language you used didn’t sit well with them) or indirect feedback (i.e. your client withdrawing after a certain conversation), it’s important to recognize your own mistakes and transform them into a learning opportunity.

You have an action plan to amend any ‘ruptures’

Should you cause a cultural rupture with a client – an incident where they feel their identity has been dismissed or disrespected, or that they’ve experienced a microaggression – it’s important to know how you will mend this. 

As a culturally competent therapist, you focus on addressing the situation with the intention of reconnecting with your client, rather than reacting or defending yourself. You encourage them to share their experience with you, knowing that you are listening non-judgmentally. For the best working relationship moving forward, you are able to take responsibility for any hurt you caused with a genuine, thoughtful apology.

You focus on your own growth

As part of your inquiry into your own identity and privileges, you use tools like self-care and mindfulness to practice acceptance of that which you cannot change and seeing things clearly apart from the “stories” you may tell yourself. Based on your own experience, you are able to better encourage your clients to do the same.

You also stand up for your principles, advocating for minorities when injustices occur, and you are actively working towards creating more equality and equity in your daily life. Through taking hopeful action for change, culturally competent therapists can inspire clients to advocate for themselves and look for opportunities to move forward during difficult times.

Where can I find cultural competence training for therapists?

As a provider who’s interested in offering inclusive care, it can feel frustrating that there are so few opportunities to upskill and such little focus on cultural competence in the current standard of care.

By joining Anise Health, you will be a  part of a mission-oriented team of high-quality and culturally competent therapists and coaches. To begin with, you will be enrolled in our online onboarding training that equips you with knowledge on the Asian American lived experience.

Through the process, you will also learn how to follow Anise’s culturally responsive care model, and how to effectively leverage our tailored assessments and evidence-based resources that address the unique needs of Asian Americans. You will understand how therapists and coaches work together as part of our integrated approach, and have the option to attend monthly consultations with experts and your peers to discuss case questions, expand your skill set, and build a community with other mission-oriented therapists and coaches.

If you’re looking to expand your caseload and upskill your practice of cultural competence, join Anise as a provider today. We would love to have you on our team and are actively recruiting new providers in Massachusetts, Washington, Florida, New York, and California.