Learning about Cultural Competence and Cultural humility helps a counselor be more adept in working with a diverse population of clients. Being comfortable in your own skin will help you approach your clients from a genuine point of view and meet them where they are so you can assist each other in moving forward in a healthy way. Understanding how to be culturally humble clinician can be just or more important than being culturally competent. Being able to identify microaggressions and how they can come about from our unconscious biases can help save a therapeutic relationship with a client from a marginalized community. Knowing what you can do to recognize and manage microaggressions in your practice will go a long way to set the tone for an inclusive environment for your clients. 

Pam Akins, LMFT & LPCC, is a Clinical Supervisor who has over 20 years’ experience working in mental health and social services in foster care, residential treatment with adolescents with sexual behavior problems and with parolees presenting with sexual behavior issues. She has worked at HOPE Program for 8 years where she works with adult parolees with sexual offense issues, substance abuse and mental health issues. Being a woman of African-American and Native American decent, differently abled and lesbian, she shares many perspectives in treating clients as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. When not at work, Pam can be found writing fiction and playing many of her handmade drums and flutes.