Since the field of Psychology has been historically dominated by white men,
many of its early perspectives and approaches did not take into account how race,
gender, disability, or other demographic factors played a part in someone’s mental
health and interpersonal relationships. Early theories, techniques, and methods were
designed to understand and treat White Americans, without taking into consideration
that ethnic and racial differences could play a role in mental health. Although there is
still a lack of representation for minority groups in the field, more and more
counselors are realizing that therapy is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, since
people’s culture, identity, and lived experiences impact their psycho-social
development differently. From this perspective came the development of
multicultural therapy.
Multicultural Therapy is a form of counseling which seeks to address and
understand how an individual's culture and identity contributes to or impacts their
mental health. Essentially, this form of therapy is designed for members who fall
outside of the dominant social group in terms of race, ethnicity, gender identity,
sexual orientation, etc. At its core, multicultural therapy is about acknowledging and
appreciating the things that make us who we are, while also exploring how our
differences play a role in our mental struggles.
Many people look at mental health and therapy through the lens of their
culture, and members from minority groups are far less likely to attend therapy due to
mistrust of the medical industry and negative past experiences. When you are a
marginalized community, it is easy to feel like other people will not understand your
lived experiences, and therefore will not understand how to help you. Multicultural
therapists acknowledge and explore the different ways in which your experiences as a
marginalized group affect your mental health.
It is important to acknowledge that not all multicultural therapists will belong
to a minority group. Their expertise stems from their training in cultural competency,
sensitivity, and empathy. Therefore, although they may not share the same
background, they are trained to carefully reflect on their own biases and lack of
understanding of other cultures in order to address the issues facing another
community. However, many marginalized groups do feel more comfortable working
with a therapist from their same culture, which is completely okay. Ultimately, it is
the quality of the relationship between the client and therapist which dictates success of treatment. (This article was contributed by UCF Clinical Psychology student, Mileydy Morales)
