I help therapists, healers, and space-holders bring decolonial and liberatory values into their work—so you’re not just saying you’re aligned… you’re actually practicing it. ⬆️ More integrity, more connection, more liberation. ⬇️ Less burnout, less performative wokeness, less colonial residue. If you want a practice where marginalized clients feel safe, seen, and honored—and you want to feel more grounded and intentional in your work—subscribe and join a growing community of practitioners doing this work differently. You practice can be liberatory-- let's get you there!
Cultural Connection Over Cultural Competency
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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! |
Liberatory Letters
I help therapists, healers, and space-holders bring decolonial and liberatory values into their work—so you’re not just saying you’re aligned… you’re actually practicing it. ⬆️ More integrity, more connection, more liberation. ⬇️ Less burnout, less performative wokeness, less colonial residue. If you want a practice where marginalized clients feel safe, seen, and honored—and you want to feel more grounded and intentional in your work—subscribe and join a growing community of practitioners doing this work differently. You practice can be liberatory-- let's get you there!
November 2026 | issue #13 Reader, I remember that my transition from community mental health into private practice was hard. I was burnt out. To me, community mental health meant supporting a caseload of around 70–80 individuals, each and every one with complex, multilayered challenges, while receiving very little support myself. And the support I did receive often lacked cultural attunement. The golden handcuffs, we used to call it. It paid relatively well, even more so if you signed up for...
Reader, A quick update on what's available & possible: 🌿 the Practice of Liberation (the POL): goes out this Monday. If you want a monthly letter about decolonizing the personal and the professional, (+prompts for reflection +a 10-minute practice +a book recommendation) this written space is for you. ❤️🩹 Healing Is An Ecosystem (hiae): as self-paced guide (60+ pages) to help you assess the conditions that actually help clients heal, widen your lens, and stop feeling like you are the only one...
Reader, A quick update on what's available & possible: ❤️🩹 Healing Is An Ecosystem (hiae): as self-paced guide (60+ pages) to help you assess the conditions that actually help clients heal, widen your lens, and stop feeling like you are the only one responsible for you clients' wellbeing. ⛰️ Widen The Frame: a free 12-day email series introducing 12 conditions that shape healing and helping you look beyond the therapy room when thinking about what clients need. I’m starting a series of emails...