Visions Journal

Why cultural humility matters in counselling

Kara Ko, RCC, MSc

Reprinted from the Don't Erase Me: Why culture matters in mental health issue of Visions Journal, 2026, 21 (3), pp. 10-11

When you meet someone—anyone—for the first time, what do you think you know about them, just based on how they look or sound? Now, if you’re a mental health professional, think about meeting a client for the first time in counselling. What assumptions pop into your mind?

It’s important to notice these moments, because this is where cultural awareness begins, and cultural awareness is the basis of cultural humility.

Peeling back assumptions

So, what is cultural awareness? It simply means being open, curious and aware that everyone, yourself included, has a story that shapes how they see the world. Cultural humility means that, rather than assuming you know about a person based on your first impression, you stay open and let them teach you what matters to them.

Humans want to fit in. In counselling, this desire is especially strong. Clients want to feel better, that they are not “other” and that they don’t have to explain who they are or feel like they must educate the counsellor about their point of view. Having to defend their identity or explain their background can be tiring and even painful.

Research supports this. Psychologists Schmader and Sedikides have found people tend to move toward places where they feel they fit.¹ And UBC researchers Bedi and Moscovitz found clients feel more comfortable and understood when counsellors show respect for their cultural background and identity.²

Noticing how we talk

Inclusive language can help everyone feel included. For example, Air Canada changed their greeting policy from welcoming passengers with “ladies and gentlemen” to more inclusive language, like “everybody” and “tout le monde.”³ Organizations are noticing that language matters.

Here’s a common example of language that may result in someone feeling left out. Think of a counsellor asking a client who belongs to a visible minority group or has an accent, “Where are you from?” Even if the question is intended to show friendly curiosity, the effect can be alienating. If a counsellor feels they must ask about a client’s background, they can consider the reason behind the asking and be sure it’s not just a question directed at clients who look or sound “different.”

Even small details matter. For example, having intake form options limited to Mr., Ms, or Mrs., or a limited list of genders can leave some clients feeling left out. A simple change to an open space for titles or pronouns can help people feel included. It lets clients fill in the blank.

Unpacking the questions we ask

When I ask a question in counselling, I think: “Is this a question I would ask any client?” This includes thinking about race, gender, orientation, whether someone comes from a collectivist (prioritizing group or family goals) or individualist (prioritizing individual goals) culture, and more. I ask myself: “Is this a question I would only ask a client of my own background or culture and needs a more culturally aware lens”?

Here’s an example: If I ask a client why they don’t just leave a program of study they don’t enjoy, that question might be received differently based on their cultural background. Likewise if I ask the same client why they don’t just work harder to stay in the program to make their family proud. A person raised in an individualist culture might focus on personal happiness, while a person raised in a collectivist culture may care deeply about family happiness, which they may see as inseparable from their own.

Instead of making any assumptions, using a cultural humility lens, I can simply ask the client open-ended questions about their reasons for doing what they’re doing, and listen.

Refocusing the lens

Practising cultural awareness and humility is at the heart of the counselling process. This is because people may identify differently from how they present. It’s a mistake to assume that someone identifies with, say, a collectivist or individualist culture based on their speech or appearance. This can be an easy trap to fall into.

I’ve observed counsellors assuming that culture only refers to people of colour or ethnic minorities, or people whose lived experience is not mainstream. But the truth is that everyone has culture, whoever we are. No one is culture-less.

This doesn’t mean we should ignore a person’s culture just to help them fit in.² Instead, cultural humility means accepting, with openness, whatever a client wants to share. Asking open questions when an issue might relate to someone’s culture, gender, orientation, age or ability can help counselling move forward in a helpful way.

For example, if a client mentions that family expectations matter a lot in their decisions, I can ask, “Can you tell me more about what your family values mean to you?” Or, “Would you like to tell me more about that?” That way, they get to decide what feels right to share.

Taking concrete steps

Keep learning: Wendt and colleagues advocate for an engaged and informed approach to becoming culturally aware.⁴ The goal isn’t to learn about every culture, but rather, to engage in the lifelong process of awareness-building.

From there, you can build the humility that comes from understanding your own limitations. Remember: no client shares your exact background (and therefore your culture), so you must bring cultural awareness and humility to every interaction.

Know your limits: If you feel a client’s needs are outside your area of expertise and you’re not sure how to talk to them without them feeling othered, until you receive the appropriate training, the ethical choice is to refer them on to someone who can better support them.⁵ Do not place the burden of educating you on the client.

Recognizing a client’s worth as a human being, without judgment, is essential to providing unconditional positive regard (showing complete acceptance and valuing of a person).⁶ Cultural humility and inclusive language are ways of offering unconditional positive regard to all clients. When clients feel understood, respected and included, healing can truly begin.