Why Your Therapist Should Understand Your Culture and Who You Are
When you're going to therapy, you're opening up about your thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences. That’s a big deal. Therapy can help with everything from anxiety and depression to dealing with trauma or major life changes. But one thing that makes a huge difference in how helpful therapy is: whether your therapist truly understands you—and that includes your culture, background, and identity.
What Does “Culturally Competent” Mean??
A culturally competent or culturally informed therapist is someone who respects, genuinely seeks to understand, and works to integrates your cultural background into the therapy process. That might include your race or ethnicity, religion, family values, traditions, gender identity, immigration status, sexual orientation, language, or even the country you’re from. It doesn’t mean your therapist has to be exactly like you, but it does mean they should be open-minded, educated, and willing to learn about what makes you, you.
For example, let’s say your family has strong traditions or beliefs that shape how you think about how your relationships interact. A therapist who takes the time to learn about those values and beliefs won’t judge or expect you to “just ignore” your background. Instead, they’ll include it in your healing process to find what works best for you.
Why it Matters?
If your therapist doesn’t understand your background—or worse, ignores it—you might not feel truly seen or heard. That can make it hard to open up. You might feel like you have to explain basic things about your culture instead of focusing on deeper issues. Or you might avoid talking about important topics because you’re worried the therapist won’t “get it.”
Therapists who are culturally informed are more likely to:
Avoid stereotypes or assumptions and ask questions
Understand how racism, discrimination, or immigration stress might affect you
Help you work through family or community pressures
Respect your traditions and identity
In short, they can connect with you in a more meaningful way. That makes therapy feel safer and more useful.
Therapist Fit: Why It’s Okay to Switch?
Just like with friends or teachers, not every therapist will be the right fit for you. Therapist “fit” means how comfortable and connected you feel with them. You should feel respected, listened to, and understood—not judged or confused.
It’s completely okay to switch therapists if it doesn’t feel right. Maybe they talk in a way that’s too formal, or they don’t seem to listen, or they just don’t get your experience. That doesn’t mean therapy doesn’t work—it just means you haven’t found the right person yet. Think of it like trying on shoes: if one pair doesn’t fit, you don’t stop wearing shoes altogether. You look for a better pair. Our team of therapists are eager schedule a consultation call with you.
What you can do
Ask questions before choosing a therapist. You can ask if they’ve worked with people from your background or if they’ve had any training in cultural competence.
Be honest. If something they say doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to speak up and ask for clarity.
Trust your gut. If you don’t feel safe or understood, you deserve to find someone who makes you feel that way.
Find a Culturally Competent Therapist who is trained in EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles, California
Therapy is about helping you. And to really help, your therapist needs to understand all parts of your identity. When you find a therapist who respects your background and makes you feel safe, therapy becomes a powerful tool for healing and growth.
If you or someone you know is has been looking tirelessly for a new therapist, try one of our therapists at Attachment Based Therapy Tx. Each therapist is trained and uses their unique gifts to provide safety and work to empower you always. Fill out our contact form in order to schedule a complimentary consultation call.