Cultural competence is a skill or ability to include and take into account the cultural beliefs, experiences, and mindsets of a client into the course of therapeutic treatment. Essentially, it is professional conduct that is founded on awareness, knowledge, and comprehension of the cultural impacts on psychological work. To provide professional psychological treatments that acknowledge the many worldviews and practices of clients from various cultural origins, one must possess these attributes. Understanding oneself and others as bearers of culture that are influenced by historical, social, economic, and political determinants, as well as the influence of that culture on how these factors influence psychological theories, models, and practices, are the main goals of cultural competence.
Cultural Competence in Therapy
In a therapy setting, it is incredibly crucial for the clinician to work on crossing any possible cultural boundaries that may come up during the therapeutic process. Aiming to understand, include, and process how cultural attributes may impact trauma and healing is important to build a good therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client. Clients who are described as people of color may tend to go to therapists of the same ethnic or cultural background as them, as they may feel more understood or valid. Although this is helpful and may seem like the right choice for certain individuals, it is still crucial for all clinicians of all backgrounds to educate themselves on various cultures so they can better aid their clients.
Cultural competence allows clients to open up, feel seen and heard, and be comfortable to share their experiences with no judgment, as well as be provided with clarity and solutions that work with their cultural upbringing. For these reasons, cultural relevance, culturally informed treatment, and cultural competence are all increasingly important areas of exploration within the therapeutic process. Clinicians are required to get involved in training, be provided with specific guides, and improve their skills if they feel that they have a discrepancy or are unable to deal with certain cases that are out of their knowledge or experience.
The Importance of Cultural Competence
In the case of the UAE, considering the various factors impacting mental health in the region, professional service delivery is implicated. The perception of mental health, stigma, culture, societal norms, skewed Islamic beliefs, and skepticism surrounding mental health prevents help-seeking behaviors. The importance of the viewpoint and experiences of a client is being increasingly recognized in terms of the outcomes that may be accomplished. This means that the more cultural competence is demonstrated by clinicians, the more people are comfortable to approach seeking help. Not only is cultural competence an important part of the therapeutic process and relationship, but it is also a good way of raising awareness and providing people with misconceptions or pre-assumptions regarding therapy a clearer idea of how they can be helped and understood.
Competent and culturally aware clinical psychologists are able to curate population-specific and beneficial mental health service delivery. This is why support, education, training, and willingness to learn are important attributes for anyone who wants to work in the field.