Culturally Sensitive Therapy

Culturally sensitive therapy emphasizes the therapist's understanding of a client’s background, ethnicity, and belief system. Therapists can incorporate cultural sensitivity into their work to accommodate and respect differences in opinions, values, and attitudes of various cultures and different types of people.

Social justice and advocacy are core pieces to a therapist's identity. They have to be able to navigate complex cultural issues that transcend race and cultural identity. These issues are often the source of a lot of the issues our clients are struggling, and a therapist must be able to identify the impact of culture and identity on the presenting issue.

Many of the clients who see me experience identity issues or trauma symptoms related to racially based or intergenerational traumas. My professional training and experience as an activist and advocate spanning decades underlies much of my focus on racial and social justice. I'm particularly attuned to issues of "difference" among those whose experiences do not reflect dominant thinking regardless of whether that experience reflects marginalization: Mixed-race, interracial and multicultural.

John has extensive education and clinical experience working with diverse populations.

You are the subject matter expert on your culture & identity. Setting treatment goals is collaborative and we integrate your background, beliefs, values, and identity into therapy. You provide the context to inform the interventions customized just for you. As a result our trust develops rapidly because we skip the assumptions, avoid misunderstandings and you feel comfortable. This modality leads to more sustainable treatment outcomes.

Based upon your unique pieces of diversity (e.g., age, gender, race, class, etc.) I work to uncover how to view these from a place of agency and strength; in your home, work and social spheres. Each of us have aspects of our identity which we aren't nurturing to the fullest of our ability.

Using Culturally Sensitive Therapy, I am dedicated to providing a therapeutic space that respects and honors your unique cultural background, values, and experiences. I understand that cultural factors significantly influence mental health, so I tailor my approach to align with your specific cultural context. By integrating cultural awareness into our sessions, I ensure that your beliefs, traditions, and identity are acknowledged and valued.

Dr. Galega-Sabum combines her clinical expertise and advanced education to offer compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric care for adults teenagers and adolescents.

I work with clients in a collaborative relationship to identify goals for therapy and treatment or growth plan. Together, we will identify what will be helpful, to explore how you relate to yourself (your thoughts, feelings, body, identity), the context within which you live, and how the heck to manage the societal structures we have to navigate. As a therapist I aim to practice with cultural humility, and will educate myself on topics important to you.

Each person on staff receives training in this area multiple times a year. Culture sensitivity is also part of our mission.

I have experience working with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and their families, and I am always eager to learn more about others.

I have special expertise in bilingual assessment and multicultural competence in both graduate school and internship training. I have extensive clinical experience working with culturally diverse clients and continue to stay current in culturally sensitive therapy through workshops. I have published, conducted workshops, and served as an expert consultant in several states in the area of bilingual assessment.

As a Black gay male therapist, I feel I understand people's needs who come from diverse cultural backgrounds. As a person who endeavors to be culturally humble, I encourage exploration in the areas of Age, Developmental disabilities, Indigenous heritage, National origin, Racial identity, Ethnic identity, Gender, Socioeconomic Status, and sexual orientation.

I have studied at the Multicultural Family Institute, the Ackerman Institute for the family, and the Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice following the teachings of leaders in culturallly sensitive therapy such as Kenneth V. Hardy, Monica McGoldrick, Nydia Garcia Prieto, thandiwe Dee Watts Jones, and Resmaa Menakem. I continue to develop and deepen my ability to practice culturally sensitive therapy through ongoing practice, supervision and training.

This is the lens that I view therapy through.

Culture plays a large role in how we express ourselves, how we are viewed by others, and how we experience our every day life.

We strive to provide culturally responsive and affirming services that are sensitive to the unique needs and challenges faced by marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and to gender, sexuality or relationship minorities. In our clinical work, we utilize an intersectional, culturally-grounded approach to understand dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression that have shaped our clients identities and lived experiences.

Sharing some of the most vulnerable parts of ourselves can feel high-risk, especially if you've experienced dismissal and shame for those experiences. Cultural sensitivity, therefore, is a must so that therapy feels safe and conducive to healing. Recognizing and respecting your unique histories, values, and cultural and familial norms validates and affirms your lived experience. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, therapy is highly tailored and modified to be inclusive.

Ensuring I provide culturally sensitive therapy is central in all of my work with clients. I prioritize making accommodations for my client's lifestyle and culture in my therapeutic services. I am dedicated to learning about each individual's background and belief system, rather than relying on assumptions. By creating a safe and inclusive space for clients of all identities to explore their thoughts and feelings, I aim to achieve more effective and meaningful therapeutic outcomes.