What is Cultural Responsiveness in Counselling?

As counsellors, many of us were introduced to the concept of cultural competence during our training. This framework, popularised in the 1980s by Derald Wing Sue, encourages therapists to build awareness, knowledge and skills to work effectively with diverse populations. While cultural competence has been a critical first step in recognising the role of identity in therapy, today’s increasingly globalised and multicultural society demands that we go further. It is time to move from cultural competence to cultural humility and responsiveness.

The role of culture in counselling has gained increasing attention in the last few decades, as client populations become more diverse. Training programs have responded by emphasising cultural competence. Simply knowing about different cultural practices or beliefs is not sufficient. Culture is not a static checklist — it is a lived experience shaped by systems, history, power, and relationships.

Moreover, many clients' cultural identities interact with complex dynamics like discrimination, acculturative stress, and collectivist versus individualist worldviews  These factors profoundly affect how clients understand their distress and what they need in therapy.

Cultural humility builds on competence by shifting our mindset. It is a dual practice of intrapersonal humility (accurately understanding ourselves) and interpersonal humility (valuing others without superiority). It as a process of inward reflection, outward openness, and ongoing upward growth.

Rather than arriving at a destination of competence, cultural humility is about showing up to each session with curiosity, respect and the willingness to learn from our clients. It is a lifelong commitment, not a training module.

Culturally responsive therapy is not about having all the answers — it’s about asking better questions. It means responding to the client’s cultural context in real time: exploring how identity shapes meaning, distress, coping and healing. This might include asking about emotional expression within their family and cultural group, exploring how stigma or cultural beliefs shape help-seeking and understanding how cultural practices offer strengths, metaphors, or ways of making sense of suffering. Responsiveness also involves recognising how a counsellor's culture enters the room. Our own biases, values, and communication styles may shape how we connect with, or unintentionally distance ourselves from, clients.

A culturally responsive counsellor will avoid making assumptions based on group membership. Culture should be considered alongside — not instead of — individual experience. They will investigate how a client’s cultural identity shapes their experience of distress and help-seeking before adapting existing treatments.

A culturally responsive counsellor will consult empirical literature for validated cultural changes to treatment which can reduce miscommunication and increase client trust.

A culturally responsive counsellor will continually reflect on their own cultural identity, discussing with peers and supervisors enhancing therapeutic presence. This allows the counsellor to explore their own community's views on mental health.

A culturally responsive counsellor will adapt their counselling to suit the client they are working with. Some may prefer a more directive or authoritative counsellor which could make them feel more culturally appropriate and effective to them. A well-used treatment such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy may need to be adapted such as asking clients to challenge the usefulness of a thought, rather than the truth of a thought to be less confrontational and more respectful of their belief systems.

A culturally responsive counsellor will maintain an attitude of respect. Validation is essential particularly when clients disclose experiences of discrimination or marginalisation. Assume these experiences are real and impactful and reflect together on how they relate to current concerns.

A culturally responsive counsellor will identify and incorporate cultural strengths. Culture can be a vital source of resilience, including community networks, spiritual traditions, art, and metaphors for healing. Some clients may struggle to articulate strengths due to cultural modesty — so ask what others in their life might say about them.

There are some common barriers to cultural responsiveness such as fear of saying the wrong thing, feeling unprepared, or cultural avoidance to be polite. These barriers can harm the therapeutic relationship. Instead, a culturally responsive counsellor will name their discomfort by saying they may not get it right, but they are open to learning, clients will usually be appreciative of the authenticity.

Culturally responsive counselling is a commitment to showing up fully for every client, creating a safe space for curiosity and change.