Youtube Link of Session: https://youtu.be/SmYYerjvAPE

A discussion among the therapists of the Lartey Wellness Group about how they make an effort to understand and build rapport with all of their clients, despite differences such as culture and race.

What is Cultural Competency?

Cultural competency is understanding a client’s lifestyle, values and what is important to them as far as what they need in the form of support as a client. It is imperative that we understand our clients based upon their situation, such as what they are looking for in therapy. In order to better serve a client, a therapist must have a good understanding of communication channels and when to use them. Being culturally competent and understanding the different communication channels, can help a client feel comfortable regardless of the cultural gap. It also allows a therapist to establish good rapport with the client so that their culture feels respected.

Keeping the curiosity to a minimum about a client’s culture, and instead showing support and empathy is crucial. Here are some ways that our therapists at LWG build positive relationships with clients of all backgrounds and cultures:

1. As a therapist, how do you manage to build a good rapport with clients belonging to a different culture in order to maintain a good level of understanding?

• Showing unconditional regard in the setting.

• Being patient and asking a lot of questions.

• Being open and expressive.

• Asking clients to share more about their culture.

• Being mindful of the perception or biases that we already have in our minds regarding their culture.

• Let clients help to expand our ideas.

• Asking more questions rather than talking about their culture to educate ourselves as therapists.

1. As a therapist, how do you approach clients who say that they are affected by these racial changes?

• Listening to clients in order to figure out what they are feeling.

• In those cases, advocacy could be as simple as sharing information and researching in social media platforms to create more awareness in that specific area.

• See things from their perspective.

• Going in person to local social groups who advocate in that field for educational purposes. It does give us the opportunity to go through multiple perspectives.

1. What can be done as therapists, even in this work-from-home situation, to lessen the gap so that all clients can get services?

• Building a community like hosting free group sessions virtually.

• Showing up for your clients.

• Volunteering in diverse events can aid to gather new ideas and fresh approaches generated by people from different backgrounds and with different outlooks

• Reminding ourselves of the importance of self-love therapy because we as therapists are doing everything we can in our hands for our clients. This will allow us to grow as individuals.