Cultural Competency in Adolescent Mental Health Treatment

The Webster Dictionary Culture is defined as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” (2024). While many may view culture from the lens of race and ethnicity it encompasses all unique experiences that shape an individual including gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability or ability status, nationality, language, and size (Hook, J. N., 2017). At ilearn wellness group we strive to foster space of cultural competency by creating a safe and inclusive environment, attending training and education, maintaining family and community involvement, and reflecting on practices.

WHAT IS CULTURAL COMPETENCY?

Cultural competency is defined as the ability of individuals and institutions to understand, appreciate, and interact effectively with individuals from diverse experiences and cultural backgrounds (Hook, J. N., 2017). Furthermore, cultural competency encompasses an individual’s awareness of their own limitations in understanding another’s cultural background and experience. By removing the focus of one’s own cultural background and experience and committing to learning and engaging with another individual’s background and experience is necessary in forming cultural competency and therefore effective interpersonal relationships in and outside of therapeutic practice (Hook, J. N., 2017). Our multidisciplinary team at ilearn wellness group strives to create relationships built on education and trust between adolescents and staff by approaching each adolescent as an individual and appreciating the influence of personal experiences on the ways they impact their world view, experiences, identities, and ultimately their mental health.

CREATING A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIORNMENT

Ilearn wellness group strives to foster a climate of respect and acceptance where adolescents feel safe to express themselves without fear of discrimination or judgment. The multidisciplinary team strives to learn about each adolescent’s experience and how they have shaped their experiences and identity to meet them where they are at. Everyone has their own story, struggles, triumphs, and experiences that can only be understood when approached with an intention to learn about an individual’s unique experience to effectively apply modalities of therapy.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The ilearn wellness group’s multidisciplinary team intentionally attends cultural competency and humility trainings to further their understanding and develop the skills necessary for treating individuals with different backgrounds, cultures, values and practices.

Learning about unique challenges that different cultural groups face is crucial for becoming informed about cultural issues and best practices when implementing evidence-based treatment modalities to individual adolescents. The team at ilearn wellness group is committed to attending trainings reviewing topics in race and mental health, the therapeutic alliance and cultural humility in therapists, tools to self-examine and reflect on identity and hidden biases to ensure culturally competent treatment for adolescents.

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Cultural competency reaches farther than the walls of our Newton clinic to their families and communities. At ilearn wellness group we strive to engage with families to understand their home and environment dynamics to gain clarity on their effects on adolescents. In gaining knowledge of their individual experiences, it allows the team to support the whole of an adolescent’s life in a respectful and practical manner. In addition, ilearn wellness group recognizes the importance of creating relationships with support networks for adolescents by communicating with culturally relevant organizations to ensure continuity of culturally competent care after an adolescent has completed their time at ilearn wellness group.

EVALUATING AND REFLECTING ON PRACTICES

Ilearn wellness group places emphasis on continually developing our cultural competency by regularly assessing our curriculum, seeking feedback from patients and families, and making necessary adjustments to ensure we are meeting individual adolescent needs. Through reflective practice, including supervision and peer consultations, we foster a space where adolescents are not the only ones learning and growing, but the staff as well to ensure we understand the specific needs of each patient and ensure maintenance of a high standard of cultural competency.

OUR PROMISE

At ilearn wellness group, we are dedicated to nurturing a space of cultural competency that respects and values the diverse identities and experiences of individual adolescents. Through creating a safe and inclusive environment, committing to ongoing education, involving families and communities, and continuously evaluating and refining our practices we strive to support the well-being of every patient. Our multi-disciplinary team is committed to learning, growing, and adapting, ensuring we can provide care that is not only effective but also deeply respectful of each person’s unique cultural background. Together we are building a foundation of trust, understanding, and empowerment, helping adolescents to thrive in an environment that honors their true selves. Contact our intake team to learn more by calling 774-519-6411.

Citations

Hook, J. N., Davis, D., Owen, J., & DeBlaere, C. (2017). Cultural humility: Engaging diverse identities in therapy. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000037-000

Merriam-Webster. (2024, June 7). Culture definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture

 

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