Culturally Sensitive Therapy

As a therapist I not only welcome but celebrate all the “stuff” that comes with my clients’ identities and I will work within my professional role and in my personal life to advocate for the needs of my clients living in marginalized communities. Which is why I operate from a fat positive, sex positive, social justice, anti-oppression, and allyship framework.

We have a diverse staff with different backgrounds that help understand your unique experiences based on the intersectionality of your identities.

I have worked with BIPOC families entering parenthood for several years. During that time I have learned how important is to consider the ways in which race and culture inform a person's stressors, protective factors, and parenting styles. As a woman of color, I also understand from a personal perspective the importance of recognizing the influence culture and race having in our experiences.

In a culturally responsive and humble approach, I work to bring all aspects of your identity as strengths in the counseling environment. I believe that when we are in touch with all aspects of our identity, we are better able to proactively address the challenges that are facing us.

I believe strongly that our culture(s) play a huge role in our happiness as well as our dysfunction. I take social, cultural, family, and systems level factors into account when working with clients and believe that healing our relationships to our cultures is a major part of overall mental health.

For someone who holds an identity that is a cultural other, it is important that therapy is a space that is protected from further cultural othering. Culturally sensitive or Culturally humble therapy is a space that prioritizes and centers someone's cultural experience. Meaning, you don't have to defend why your family was the way it was - rather, you can experience acceptance for your cultural parts and process healing in therapy together.

Culturally sensitive therapy is important to me. I have met with many people who avoid therapy after not feeling seen or heard in therapy in the past. I work to stay culturally informed about different topics that may impact people's lives and engage in ongoing learning. I have specific training in Anti Oppression Informed Practice and engage in an ongoing learning community for decolonizing therapy.

My work as a therapist and assessor is to see each patient in the context of our communities and their many identities. I aim to be culturally aware of possible difference while making space for each individual's self expression. Cultural responsivity is a life long journey. I aspire to continually learn about myself and the communities around me.

As a Black gay male therapist, I feel I understand people's needs who come from diverse cultural backgrounds. As a person who endeavors to be culturally humble, I encourage exploration in the areas of Age, Developmental disabilities, Indigenous heritage, National origin, Racial identity, Ethnic identity, Gender, Socioeconomic Status, and sexual orientation.

My life is immersed in alternative and marginalized communities, and I seek regular trainings in cultural sensitivity.

I keep a close eye on what role the environments you have inhabited may have played on your current views about yourself, others, and the world at large, and I constantly invite you to do the same. It can be very empowering to realize how you came to embrace your beliefs, and with that information, be able to decide which of them you want to keep or reject.

I have special expertise in bilingual assessment and multicultural competence in both graduate school and internship training. I have extensive clinical experience working with culturally diverse clients and continue to stay current in culturally sensitive therapy through workshops. I have published, conducted workshops, and served as an expert consultant in several states in the area of bilingual assessment.

I continuously educate myself on culturally sensitive skills I can apply to my therapeutic approach. I educate myself on the different cultural backgrounds of my clients. After all, it's my job to educate myself, not my client's job to educate me.

My background working with diverse individuals has been some of the most humbling and rewarding work I've done because it pushes me to examine the biases and assumptions I've accumulated over the years living in the US majority culture. I work from a broad definition of diversity that encompasses not only racial/ethnic identity but also ability status, faith background, family make up, political ideology, and more. I value your uniqueness and building trust with you is my top priority.

For someone who holds an identity that is a cultural other, it is important that therapy is a space that is protected from further cultural othering. Culturally sensitive or Culturally humble therapy is a space that prioritizes and centers someone's cultural experience. Meaning, you don't have to defend why your family was the way it was - rather, you can experience acceptance for your cultural parts and process healing in therapy together.

I received a great graduate and post graduate education where culturally sensitive therapy was emphasized and in addition through additional training annual training.