Definition Of Cultural Humility

What is cultural humility and what does it have to do with cultural competence.

Definition of cultural humility. Cultural humility is a process of self reflection to understand personal and systemic biases and to develop and maintain respectful processes and relationships based on mutual trust. As therapists we have a responsibility to recognize and value the diversity of our clients. Cultural humility is the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other oriented or open to the other in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the person. Those who practice cultural humility work to increase their self awareness of their own biases and perceptions and engage in a life long self reflection process about how to put these aside and learn from clients tervalon murray garcia 1998.

Cultural humility is the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other oriented or open to the other in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the person. Cultural humility by definition is larger than our individual selves we must advocate for it systemically. Cultural humility is a lifelong process while cultural competence is often seen as a goal that can be reached after a certain amount of training and expertise. Multiracial and multiethnic individuals and families illustrate the cultural richness of our diverse nation.

Cultural humility is about accepting our limitations. To practice cultural humility is to maintain a willingness to suspend what you know or what you think you know about a person based on generalizations about their culture. Cultural humility involves humbly acknowledging oneself as a learner when it comes to understanding another s experience.