I help clinicians, healers, and coaches incorporate decolonized and liberatory values in their practices so that you can have a practice and/or service-based business that is truly affirming and welcoming to clients who hold marginalized identities.
Cultural Connection Over Cultural Competency
|
Reader, Last week I heard from you and your thoughts on “cultural competency”. Thank you! I loved that people said, we should aim for cultural education and for “openness to learning rather than a façade of knowledge” (thank you Arden!) So I want to share some more thoughts about: cultural connection versus cultural competency in mental health and wellness spaces. As therapists and healers, our vision is all about connecting with our clients and building relationships. We strive to model the kind of relationships we want them to create in their own lives to help them heal. It’s the heart of what we do. Unfortunately most of us learned via grad school and/or via our governing bodies to interpret connection and appropriate treatment through cultural competency. We’re supposed to believe that by earning those CEUs, we’re becoming more competent. We even quantify it, checking it off our list after completing a few hours each year. But does this really make us culturally responsive/humble/curious? The truth is, it’s not our fault if the emphasis in grad school and during internships/practicums was not to fully grasp what genuine connection means, especially when working with people who don’t share our identities. Here’s how we do it differently. What I believe we truly need is cultural connection, which involves acknowledging and bridging the gap between our identities and those of our clients. Some therapists view culture as a set of values, characteristics, and ways of thinking. But they tend to forget that these values exist within individuals or groups with intersecting identities. I believe we should focus on those identities—both our clients’ and our own:
What do we have in common? What don’t we? What am I not seeing, thinking, or feeling because I don’t share this particular identity with my client? Even if I cannot fully empathize (put myself in your shoes because we don’t share the same identities, emotions, perspectives, life experiences), how can I be compassionate (take action to support others)? That’s how we begin to bridge the gap. More on that next week! (unless you send me another email -please do! with more great thoughts to unpack and to comment on and share with everyone… otherwise, more on bridging the gap next week!) In the meantime, hit reply and let me know how you’re connecting with the person and not just the culture. Let me know your thoughts and experiences! ☀️ In community, Silvana @ Decolonize Your Practice PS. Starting late this year or early next, I will be offering workshops on the various ways of having inclusive and affirming practices🔥
Let's connect! |
Hi! I'm Silvana.
I help clinicians, healers, and coaches incorporate decolonized and liberatory values in their practices so that you can have a practice and/or service-based business that is truly affirming and welcoming to clients who hold marginalized identities.
Reader, For the las two weeks I've introduced you to the 7 steps to bridge the gap between your and your client’s identities. There are 7 steps to bridging the Gap: Self-Reflection ✔️ Listening Actively ✔️ Building Authentic Relationships Acknowledging Power Dynamics Commit to Ongoing Learning: Memorizing is not the same as understanding Compassion over empathy This week I am unpacking step 3, Building Authentic Relationships: Building Authentic Relationships: Understanding the Client’s World...
Reader, For the las two weeks I've introduced you to the 7 steps to bridge the gap between your and your client’s identities. There are 7 steps to bridging the Gap: Self-Reflection ✔️ Listening Actively Building Authentic Relationships Acknowledging Power Dynamics Commit to Ongoing Learning: Memorizing is not the same as understanding Compassion over empathy This week I am unpacking step 2, Listening Actively: Yes, we learned active listening in grad school. It is "the process of listening...
Reader, Last week I introduced you to the 7 steps to bridge the gap between your and your client’s identities. There are 7 steps to bridging the Gap: Self-Reflection Listening Actively Building Authentic Relationships Acknowledging Power Dynamics Commit to Ongoing Learning: Memorizing is not the same as understanding Compassion over empathy This week I am unpacking step 1, Self-Reflection: Self-reflection is the cornerstone of decolonizing mental health and is crucial in bridging the gap...