Care and Culture
When we talk about mental health, we often focus on symptoms such as anxiety, depression, trauma, stress. But beneath those experiences are deeper layers that shape how we understand and respond to them. Two of the most significant layers are culture and identity that significantly influence how we think, feel, and relate to others and they play a vital role in how we experience healing.
The Cultural Lens in Mental Health
Culture provides the framework through which we interpret the world around us. It shapes our beliefs, our language, our coping styles, and even how we express distress. I believe we go through life with a complex and rich tapestry of culture. My work culture impacts my home culture which was impacted by cultural influences in my childhood.
In my 20+ years of experience I have worked with so many populations, each with their own cultural influences. I’ve worked in people’s homes who were involved in child welfare cases, in residential treatment for adolescents with substance use, hospital detox and drug/alcohol treatment for adults, Psychiatric Medical Institute for Children, nonprofit outpatient mental health, EAP, and traditional group practice, and cash only private practice. When I tell you culture is far reaching, I don’t have words to adequately describe how far reaching it goes.
When therapy integrates cultural understanding, it allows clients to feel seen and validated for who they truly are not just as individuals, but as members of families, communities, and traditions. I’m sure you’ve heard terms like “company culture” or “school culture.” This is reminder that every family, workplace, school setting, neighborhood, church, friend group, etc. all have their own culture.
Culturally Responsive Care
Being culturally responsive means approaching every client with openness, humility, and curiosity. It involves understanding how culture and identity intersect with mental health, and how these factors shape both symptoms and strengths.
At its core, this approach asks the therapist to listen deeply not just to what is said, but to what is meant and to adapt treatment in a way that fits the client’s lived experience. I hear so many professionals scoff at the mandatory culture/diversity CE requirements, like there is nothing to learn. I have hundreds of examples of well meaning professionals who missed the mark of understanding that culture and identity are never fully understood.
Why This Matters
When therapy recognizes and respects culture and identity, it helps clients:
Feel seen and understood, not judged or misunderstood.
Build trust and safety within the therapeutic relationship.
Connect with coping strategies that align with personal and cultural values
Reclaim pride and strength in who they are.
This is not just about inclusion, it’s about effective, compassionate, and person-centered care.
As a whole, I think the counseling profession is doing better at trying to understand culture in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation, but there is still a LONG way to go. Below are some additional areas I see that are often not considered when talking about someone’s culture and influences:
Socioeconomic status
Neighborhood
Career (blue collar, white collar, professional, etc.)
Hobbies
Family make up
Education
Age
Childhood experiences
Social group
A Personal Note
In my own work, I’ve witnessed how powerful it can be when clients are invited to bring their full selves into therapy — their history, their culture, their language, their beliefs. When we explore mental health through the lens of identity and culture, healing becomes not only possible but deeply authentic. My biggest piece of advice to you would be, don’t assume you know someone’s culture or what they bring into your therapeutic space. Get curious. Ask questions. Allow each person to celebrate what makes them human.
Every person’s story deserves to be heard in their own voice. Therapy should be a space where that voice can emerge freely, without fear, and be met with empathy and respect.
Tags:
Culture
Identity
Genuine
Whole client
Human
Compassion
