Cultural Competence
This phrase has been thrown into many career fields and has been generally taught in the same way in several workplace or educational settings. Typically only ever discussed during a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training or during an unfortunate HR-related incident. If you’re a student, maybe it’s been taught in a 2-hour lecture of a course within a social science related major. And then never mentioned again.
My first exposure to this concept of cultural sensitivity was through my leadership roles within cultural organizations at Oregon State. It was something that an AAPI mentor of mine made sure to discuss with all of us. As a cultural club, it became part of our mission to spread that multicultural awareness. But alas, this awareness only made it through channels of affiliate clubs of our multicultural club umbrella—not through other parts of the university. Of course, this was over a decade ago.
Fast forward to entering the social work realm. I can’t speak for other social work programs, but I think VCU did a fantastic job within their MSW curriculum to keep multiculturalism and diversity a theme across multiple courses—not just the one about oppression. The reading material really changed my views on what cultural competence actually meant.
I am reminded of this once again while reading an article from EMDRIA’s Go With That magazine which called a push for change in the EMDR community toward research on diverse populations. For those who are unfamiliar, EMDR is evidence-based modality often used to treat PTSD and other conditions related to trauma exposure. It’s efficacy has been established through several meta-analyses and systematic reviews. However, it severely lacks studies outside populations of higher income folks who also tend to be white. The article I read argued that a shift in practice needs to be made from cultural competence to cultural humility.
Some readers may argue they are one and the same, and that scholars are associating new definitions and creating new phrases to be more “PC” or politically correct. But I argue that language evolves, and it’s important to understand that words do change in meaning as time progresses (consider new words and slang). Cultural competence once worked in the past implying that we need to have a complete understanding of cultures and practices outside our own. It also implies that once we are trained in that culture’s norms and practices, we are done. We are competent. You as a client could show up to my door, I can talk about how I know all about you and your people, community, and practices, and you will praise me for being so understanding. This may have been acceptable and even lauded in the past.
It’s not like that anymore. Perhaps it’s because I’m second generation. After all, my parents, born in Cambodia, likely wouldn’t feel offended. However, if I was a client, I’d be incredibly insulted by the sort of act that this professional, an outsider to my community, think they know what my cultural experience is like.
Enter cultural humility. Cultural humility is a modern practice of cultural sensitivity. It has its roots from cultural competence which did provide benefits to progressing social justice. But it’s time to move forward. Practicing cultural humility is understanding that you will never be an expert on cultures outside your own. It’s a person-centered approach where you respect the individual as the expert of their own life experiences. Part of this practice includes asking respectful and clarifying questions and working with those cultural considerations in mind without assumptions about what that person wishes to do.
For example, not every Cambodian American is going to practice Buddhism the same way (and not all are even Buddhist). My grandmother was devout and performed Buddhist chants every night. My mother, however, doesn’t believe in the chanting and only offers food to deceased ancestors. I, myself, don’t even consider myself Buddhist, but I’ll occasionally do food offerings more as a way to honor them—not due to a belief they absolutely need this sustenance. Cultural competence can be incredibly harmful when assumptions are made. Imagine being coerced to do the chants because your therapist was “culturally competent” and assumed this is the best long-term coping strategy for reducing anxiety knowing what they know about your culture.
Cultural competence is severely limiting. Cultural humility leaves space for self-empowerment. It allows us to hold agency and take back control. Cultural humility is the way to be respectful and to promote social justice at the individual level. Cultural humility is what we need today.
