Reader,

Heeeey, this is the second of five letters on building healing connections grounded in awareness of power and oppression (healing connections with clients and in your community). Read on!

A core value that drives our work is helping people heal...

We’re here because we believe in creating spaces where our clients feel seen, respected, and empowered to be their full selves.

Healing isn’t just about working on the individual—it’s about creating environments where people from all backgrounds can feel truly safe to be who they are. That’s the vision that brings us all to this work.

But let’s be honest: “cultural competency” training, as we know it, isn’t living up to that vision. Sure, it’s everywhere in our field, and many of us have gone through that training.

But too often, cultural competency misses the complexity of each person’s identity.

It tries to teach us to “understand” others through a lens that’s ultimately limiting and stereotypical. Instead of fostering real healing, it undermines it by encouraging us to fit clients into neat, overly simplified boxes. And when we do that, we miss the chance to connect authentically.

But here’s how we do it differently: Cultural Responsiveness

Cultural responsiveness focuses on your ability to adapt your interventions and communication styles to fit your clients’ unique cultural backgrounds, experiences, and needs. It’s all about being attuned and flexible.

So, What Does This Look Like in Practice?

1. Ditch the Stereotypes. Instead of trying to check off characteristics or behaviors you’ve read in a textbook, ask open-ended questions and let clients define their identities on their own terms. Be upfront about the limits of your understanding and the depth of your interest in hearing their story.

2. Center Their Wisdom. Our clients are the experts on their lives. Instead of trying to “understand” them through generalized knowledge, we can show up as partners in the therapeutic journey. This means asking questions that give them room to share as much or as little as they want about their backgrounds and identities.

3. Own Your Biases. We all carry biases, and part of cultural responsiveness is recognizing our assumptions. The way we’ve been socialized influences how we see the world, but acknowledging those lenses can open up new ways of connecting. When we’re humble enough to own our biases, we create a safer space for clients to be honest about who they are.

4. Be Willing to Mess Up and Learn from It. Cultural responsiveness is all about being okay with not being perfect. We’re human, and sometimes, we’re going to get it wrong. The key is how we respond. Instead of getting defensive, we can listen, take in feedback, and adjust. This is how we grow—and how we model real, mutual respect in our relationships.

Why Does This Matter?

When you move beyond cultural "competency", you create an space where your clients feel genuinely seen and heard. For those of us who’ve felt minimized or stereotyped by the mental health and wellness industrial complex, this shift IS empowering.

Clients are no longer a checkbox or a category—they’re a whole person, with a story that you’re there to listen to, not judge or “understand” (or diagnose).

And that’s where embodied connection and healing begins.

Action step:

This week, bring cultural responsiveness into your sessions. Notice when you have preconceived ideas, challenge yourself to set them aside and let your client lead. Notice when you feel the urge to assume or categorize, and take a breath. Practice being present without “knowing,” and see how that shifts the dynamic.

Reply to this email and tell me how it feels to bring cultural responsiveness into your work, or what comes up for you as you practice.

In community & connection,

Silvana @ Decolonize Your Practice​

PS.

This journey is ongoing. If you're ready to take the first steps to name the power imbalance in the room sign up for my (last) free Monthly Consultation session for BIPoC clinicians (catch the replay) and for white clinicians.

PPS.

If you’re ready to go deeper into decolonizing your practice, sign up for a 1:1 Decolonized Consultation session. Let’s do this work—together.

PPPS. If you're new around here, hi! And you can read previous Liberatory Letters here.

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Let's connect!