How To Find A Culturally Competent Therapist
Typically, before therapy officially begins, there is a consultation between the client and potential therapist. The meeting is an opportunity for the client to express their needs and for the therapist to assess the client’s needs and their ability to address them. One topic that is rarely discussed within the consultation (unless that is the pressing need to be addressed in therapy) is cultural competence.
Most people extend the benefit of doubt to mental health professionals, “why would they offer their services, if they weren’t good?” Contrary to popular belief, when considering a therapist you want to ensure they are “good” clinically AND culturally competent.
What is cultural competence?
Cultural competence is the ability to communicate with, relate to, and demonstrate a working knowledge of understanding of other cultures. One important feature of cultural competence is personal awareness of one’s world view including personal biases , and development of a positive, curious view of cultural differences.
Why is cultural competence important?
Historically, people of color and/or those from marginalized communities are
- Less likely to look for mental health services
- More likely to end mental health services before the therapy goals are accomplished (typically attend a few sessions and never return)
Within the past decade people of color and those from marginalized communities have become more welcoming to attending therapy and have sought services in record numbers! Despite the change in interest, they continue to be more likely to end mental health services before they accomplish their therapy goals.
What Is The Disconnect?
One of the main reasons why clients leave therapy early in minority populations is lack of cultural competence in their mental health provider.
Though approximately 39 percent of the national US population identify as people of color, multicultural counseling recently became a main component of clinical training in counseling and psychology programs within the past thirteen years, approximately. Therefore, there are several clinicians who are experienced with “really good” clinical skills but are limited in their ability care for or relate to people of color.
Unfortunately, care from “good” therapists with limited cultural competence skills often results in clients of color feeling invalidated, misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and even traumatized.
Before you begin…
Think about what is important to you. Not just family, friends, work, etc. But who are you? What are your values, what moves you to action, etc.? What is something someone must know about you to understand you? Try to gather a few values (3-5). Now ask yourself, “is this something I want to walk my therapist through line by line or do I want a therapist with a general understanding I can build on?
7 Questions Every Culturally Competent Therapist Can Answer
1. Can you tell me about your educational and training experiences regarding multicultural counseling?
It is typical for a therapist to have 1 to 2 graduate level courses of multicultural counseling, however, most courses focus on several cultural groups within a few months. Listen closely for cultural-specific tailored trainings (of at least 3 hours) and previous employment working with diverse clientele. Annual training is ideal, due to our evolving understanding of culture.
2. Have you ever had supervision that focused solely on race, ethnicity, and culture? Can you give a specific example of how you applied supervision within session?
Education is good, but supervised, hands on training is best. Culturally competent therapists have trained with experienced supervisors who assisted their skill development in issues related to the complexity of race, culture, and individuality.
3. How have you responded to professional, peer, or clientele feedback regarding your level of cultural competence? Has a client called you racist, how did you respond?
Even the best-intentioned therapist can show racial bias or commit a racial microaggression. Do they welcome all feedback or do they become defensive when criticized? It is imperative for therapists to be able to respond to their clients in a healthy, helpful manner, especially when the client has experienced their treatment in a negative way.
4. Are you willing to address racial, ethnic, or cultural differences in session, as needed or requested by the client? Do you feel competent to support client experiences of racism, oppression, and intersectionality? What is your stance on race-based trauma, how do you navigate that in session? Can you give me an example of when you have done this in the past, how did the client respond?
Any one of the questions will do, but I wanted to give a few options. Most people of color have experienced racism and/or oppression, whether personal or vicarious. If a therapist does not feel comfortable discussing aspects of social injustice, they are missing a vital component of your life and may not be able to meet your needs.
5. How do you process and navigate your personal biases? Can you talk about White privilege and what it means to be white (or have a closer proximity to whiteness)?
Everyone has biases (even clinicians of color). An effective, honest, and therapeutic conversation about race cannot occur without understanding of the role white privilege and systemic racism.
6. Can you tell me about your biggest clinical mistake with a client of color? What did you learn about yourself and what would you have done differently?
This question will give insight into the clinician’s self-assessment and personal awareness. Can the therapist assess their skills and professionalism objectively, admit their clinical wrong doings, and identify their plan of corrective action? Therapy is a practice that intertwines science, society, and the soul. No one is perfect, even great clinicians make mistakes.
7. Can you tell me about your preferred method of client conceptualization?
It’s a mouthful, but worth it. The purpose of this question is to gage the clinicians view of race, ethnicity, and culture in regard to the client’s personal development and their understanding of how you understand your world and what influences your individual perspective. If your culture, ethnicity, or race are significant to your personhood, their conceptualization should include it.
**Please note, while the questions center around race, culture, and ethnicity, they can be substituted with other significant personal values you identify.
Let us know how it works out! Leave a comment below or send us a message at info@mindsovermelanin.com
If you’re still in the market for a therapist, look no further!