for example, that if you are Chinese American, Vietnamese American, or Japanese American, you are similar because you are Asian. Categorizing whole regions of the world as similar is likely to present problems, as individuals from a wide array of countries are very diverse. Moreover, individuals and groups within groups have a great deal of intragroup diversity. For example, a Chinese American family that has been in the U.S. for five generations is likely to be quite different from a Chinese American family that immigrated to the U.S. during the last decade. Cultural humility suggests that counselors should not assume cultural knowledge about clients; instead, they should ask clients questions about their cultural experiences and identities and view the client as the expert on this topic (Gallardo, 2014). Multicultural counseling and cultural competency frameworks also neglect the intersecting dimensions of diversity. By focusing on ethnic and racial groups, these models ignore the complexity of group and individual identity. Complex identities include many dimensions of diversity, such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, LGBTQ status, dis/ability, religion, regionality (e.g., southern, northern, western, eastern regions of the U.S.), age, gender, and so on. These dimensions of diversity intersect in many ways. The intersectionality of a multitude of sides that are oppressed or marginalized identities within one individual may result in experiencing much discrimination (Rosenthal, 2016). On the other hand, the intersection of a multitude of privileged dimensions within one individual may result in experiencing multiple oppressions; the intersectionality of dimensions of diversity results in an infinite number of individual identities that are difficult, if not impossible, to categorize (Rosenthal, 2016). The cultural humility framework recognizes and acknowledges the layers and dimensions of diverse identities, encouraging counselors to self-reflect and understand the potential for many intersecting personal identities. Correspondingly, counselors assuming cultural humility ask clients questions regarding their intersecting diverse identities (Gallardo, 2014). Multicultural counseling and cultural competency frameworks have been further criticized for focusing on having the counselor gain knowledge regarding differing racial and ethnic groups and assuming that there is an endpoint in cultural training where the counselor achieves competency (Fisher-Borne et al., 2015). However, culture is fluid and ever-changing, with a complex array of interacting dimensions. Thus, it is impossible to reach an endpoint to be deemed competent. Cultural humility requires counselors to acknowledge their lack of knowledge (Gallardo, How to Develop Cultural Humility Self-awareness is central to cultural humility; how a person is informs how they see another. Awareness may stem from self- reflective questions such as the following: ● Which parts of my identity am I aware of? Which are most salient? ● Which parts of my identity are privileged and/or marginalized? ● How does my sense of identity shift based on context and settings? ● What are the parts onto which people project? Moreover, which parts are received well, and by whom? ● What might be my own blind spots and biases? With this awareness, a provider can ask how they receive the patient: Who is this person, and how do I make sense of them? What knowledge and awareness do I have about their culture? What thoughts and feelings emerge from me about them? A provider operating with cultural humility must listen with interest and curiosity, be aware of their own possible biases, and attempt a nonjudgmental stance about what they hear, recognize their inherent status of privilege as a provider, and be willing to be taught by their patients.
2014). It is firmly rooted in lifelong, ongoing learning and reflection. The final major criticism of multicultural counseling and cultural competency frameworks is that they do not present a social change/social justice perspective (Fisher-Borne et al., 2015). These frameworks assume that the lack of knowledge and understanding of oppressed and marginalized groups is commonly responsible for ineffective counseling. The frameworks fail to address the power imbalances in society and its institutions that are integral to many challenges and issues that clients bring to counseling. Cultural humility requires counselors to recognize the power imbalances within the counseling relationship and society. Moreover, cultural humility demands that practitioners hold institutions accountable and asks that counselors work to correct social injustices on community and national levels to achieve wellness for clients that can only be realized through working toward a more equitable society (Foronda et al., 2016). It is important to note that the related counseling professions are committed to cultural competency and increasingly understand the need to adopt a cultural humility framework. Counseling professions, including social work, psychology, mental health counseling, counseling, school counseling, and marriage and family counseling, incorporate cultural competency and cultural humility within their ethical and educational guidelines for competent practice (AAMFT, 2015; ACA, 2014; AMHCA, 2015; APA, 2017; ASCA, 2016; NASW, 2017). The professions share some commonalities within their guidelines for culturally sensitive practice. Counseling professionals agree that counselors must continually develop an understanding of their clients’ diversity and commit to lifelong learning. The counseling, psychology, and social work professions have been exploring the cultural humility approach, as evidenced by their professional organizations’ recent publications and public information (APA, 2017; NASW, 2015; Ratts et al., 2015). Self-Assessment Question 5 Which of the following statements pertains to the definition of cultural humility? a. Healthcare professionals must learn a quantifiable set of attitudes. b. Cultural humility is an ongoing process. c. Cultural humility is a skill that can be taught. d. Healthcare professionals know that there is an end point to cultural humility. One challenge for providers is that healthcare executives, providers, and others working in the system are not having honest, authentic conversations about systemic or individual biases because it makes them uncomfortable. Everyone has biases. Avoiding or concealing them only escalates the problem. Instead, healthcare institutions and providers need to raise them to the surface and become more comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations to effect change. Cultural Humility in Therapy Using the principles of cultural humility, therapists should explore the various ways in which healing might take place for the client, which may mean broadening the scope of the therapeutic frame. This could include working alongside a translator rather than expecting a refugee client to communicate solely in English or meeting with refugee families at a location they know and trust (e.g., community agency, school, refugee resettlement office) rather than expecting them to come to the therapist’s office (Captari et al, 2021).
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