L to R: Alethia Cadore, RP, OSRP Board Member and Chair, Protect SubCommittee; Kusum Dole, RP, Protect SubCommittee Member; Dr. Chase Everett McMurren; Shanique Victoria Edwards, RP(Q); MDiv; Rachel Fulford, Board Member, Protect SubCommittee Member; Dr. Oren Gozlan
Caversham Booksellers table on-site. L to R: Joe Adelaars, Co-Owner, Caversham Booksellers; Dr. Oren Gozlan, Shanique Victoria Edwards RP(Q).
– by Christina Forde, RP (Qualifying), Member, Connect Committee
“What we’re uncomfortable with affects how comfortable others are to talk with us about certain topics,” stated Dr. Chase McMurren during the June 15 PS Protect Yourself hybrid Seminar: “Cultural Competency: What is It? An Introduction.” This statement has challenged me to consider how I can make therapy a safer space for the unique cultural experience of each of my clients. Dr. McMurren explained that he acknowledges the impact of power dynamics in therapy by “respecting all the things people are afraid to tell me or think that I can’t handle.”
As therapists, I believe that there is room for us to become better at viewing “clients as the experts to address our own biases,” as stated by Shanique Victoria Edwards, RP(Q).
Another statement she made that stood out to me is when she highlighted that race and culture are core aspects of humans and that “we are asking them to leave a part of themselves outside if we don’t acknowledge it.”
While reflecting on the fear of appearing uncomfortable about discussing culture, OSRP member Susie Costello asked the presenters: “Can you give some specific examples of what I might say to break the ice around cultural issues”? The presenters considered how to make the process more comfortable by “melting the ice instead of breaking it,” as per Dr. McMurren, and Dr. Gozlan responded with this great question: “Why does it feel like ice in the first place?” It resonated with me when he suggested that we ask about a person’s experience and “listen to their inner world and how they describe it.”
“Within each culture is many cultures and each person experiences it in a particular way,” as said by Dr. Gozlan during discussion about how we can better understand a person’s lived experience of culture. He further emphasized his point by saying: “I cannot stand in someone else’s shoes. I have my own shoes. It is still my own experience of their shoes.. This statement really helped me reflect on the beautiful uniqueness of every person I meet. The presenters appeared to all agree that there is always so much to learn about each of our clients. Edwards explained her perspective that we often rely on what we know, and I believe she made a significant point by saying that our professional training leads to the “fallacy that we’re never unprepared.” The solution, according to Edwards, is to be “consistently curious.”
The two-hour seminar video is available for purchase HERE for OSRP members only. The PS series is sponsored by Jane, who designed and printed posters and sent a representative to meet with members. Cross-promotion provided by Caversham Booksellers who also shared a curated booklist for all registrants. McFarlan Rowlands supports the OSRP’s BIPOC Bursary and Scholarship Program, to which you can contribute by clicking HERE.
