Faith & culture · The Holistic Counselor Podcast learning guide
From the Mic to the Community
What is cultural competency?
Find care that makes room for your identity and experience.
Diana S. Rice · Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP), Qualified Supervisor (QS)
4 pages · No email required · Education, not individual care
Have you ever spent more time explaining your background than talking about why you needed help? Your language, history, and community deserve room in the conversation.
Care should fit the person
Cultural competency means knowing how to work with people from different backgrounds. Cultural humility means staying open to learning. A provider should notice their own assumptions and accept correction.
Identity has many layers
Race, faith, language, disability, gender, family roles, and money can shape your life. So can moving between countries or cultures. You may want a therapist who shares part of your identity. That can matter, but it does not mean they will know every part of your story.
Look for curiosity in action
Does the provider ask what matters to you? Do they explain your choices clearly? Notice how they respond if you correct an assumption. Ask for language support or changes that would help you take part in care.
Research & perspective
What to keep in mind
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services promotes culturally and linguistically appropriate services. These standards guide how care is delivered; they are not a promise that any one provider will be the right fit.
Explore the sources ↓A moment for you
Let’s pause and reflect.
Choose one question, or take your time with all three. Your answers can stay private. Skip anything that feels like too much; you do not need to revisit painful details to use this guide.
- What part of my identity do I want understood?
- When have I felt respected in a helping relationship?
- What assumption would I like a provider to avoid?
Use your own notebook or the writing space in the PDF. This page does not ask you to submit reflections.
Continue the conversation
Listen with curiosity.
Selected conversations to begin with. Guests share their own perspectives; a linked episode is not a treatment recommendation or a complete review of the evidence.
- Episode 2
- Episode 55
Make room for support
Questions to bring to a professional
- How do you learn about a client’s culture without making assumptions?
- What language support is available?
- How can I tell you if something does not fit my experience?
One next step
Choose two things you want a provider to know about your background. You can share them at your own pace.
Keep learning
Sources & useful resources
These links support the teaching and help you explore further. Professional organizations describe their own approaches; faith organizations describe their perspectives. Directories are starting points, not endorsements.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Think Cultural Health ↗
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Cultural humility and person-centered care ↗
Services, fees, rules, and links may change. Confirm current details directly.
When a guide is not enough
Need support right now?
In the U.S. and its territories, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers support for emotional distress or a suicidal crisis.
If there is immediate danger or a medical emergency in the U.S., call 911. Outside the U.S., use your local emergency or crisis service.
This website and its contact form do not provide crisis care.