How To Find A Culturally Sensitive Therapist

When you hear the word “therapist,” the first image that pops up might be a quiet old man sitting on a couch, taking notes with his pen. Or you may imagine a white woman on an ottoman, a woven shawl wrapped around her shoulders, listening closely to the person sitting across from her.

In our images of therapists, the image that pops up is overwhelmingly white.

And that could make many People of Color shrink from the idea of seeing a shrink! In collectivist cultures, telling a stranger your personal problems seems strange and wrong. The lack of representation and the cultural stigma surrounding therapy doesn’t even touch on the internal issues, namely the lack of culturally sensitive therapists.

But what is a culturally sensitive therapist and why does it matter? And how can you find the right one for you?

What Does It Mean To Be A Culturally Sensitive Therapist?

According to Psychology Today, a culturally-sensitive therapist understands and accounts for their client’s background, ethnicity, and belief system during therapy. It is a matter of respecting the client’s differences and accommodating them. This includes knowing how their race, age, socioeconomic status, citizenship status, gender, and sexuality interact with treatment.