Creating a Culturally Safe Space in Clinical Practice and Supervision
An Introduction to Cultural Competence, Cultural Humility, and Culturally-Informed Care and Mentorship
Abstract
This workshop will introduce participants to the foundational knowledge and concepts related to culture, diversity, and clinical practice and supervision. Specifically, the concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility, as the two complementing frameworks for promoting clinicians’ multicultural development and identity, will be discussed. This workshop approaches cultural training from an experiential, personal-growth, and professional-development perspective and a social justice stance. Using mental health counselling and therapy intervention as an example of creating culturally safe spaces for clients and trainees, this workshop will guide participants to reflect and think through critical cultural diversity issues of themselves as well as of others. Practical and evidence-based examples will be used to illustrate the content and to help link participants’ learning to their experiences.
Intended Audience
Psychologists who are interested in and eligible to become supervisors.
Learning Objectives
Participants in this workshop will be introduced to the following topics, and engage in guided reflection on these subject matters:
- Intersection of culture and diversity issues and clinical/health care and supervision training
- Definition and Illustration of multicultural competence and cultural humility in practice
- Issues on clinicians’ intersectionality of identities and implicit biases
- Strategies to address cultural diversity issues in supervision with supervisees
- Strategies to enhance individual-level and institutional/organizational-level changes to promote racial equity and cultural safety
- Paths forward for clinicians’ continued cultural learning, education, and development
Presenter
Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo, Ph.D.
Dr. Kuo is a Full Professor and the current Director of Clinical Training for the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)-Accredited Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Windsor, and a registered and practicing psychologist in Ontario. His research focuses on the intersection between culture and psychology, particularly in the areas of multicultural counselling and training and cross-cultural psychology. Dr. Kuo is an experienced and active clinical supervisor who teaches and supervises clinical psychology graduate students in multicultural psychotherapy courses and practicum with diverse clients, including refugees and immigrants. As a clinician, Dr. Kuo has worked and treated international students, immigrants, refugees, racial/ethnic minorities, and non-minority individuals in the U.S., Canada, and Asia. Dr. Kuo works very closely with various community and health agencies/networks and is involved in policy initiatives, provincially and nationally in Canada. Dr. Kuo has traveled, lectured, provided training, and consulted internationally, as a distinguished visiting professor, in Taiwan, China, Thailand, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Poland, and the U.K. In 2018 Dr. Kuo served as the guest editor for the special issue of Psynopsis – the official communiqué of the CPA – on “Refugee Mental Health.” This year (2024), Dr. Kuo once again collaborated with Dr. Eleanor Gittens, the current President of the CPA, as co-editors for another special issue of Psynopsis on “People, Culture and Psychology: Diverse Voices from the Field.”
Cancellation and Refunds
Cancellation and refunds may be applied for by email or phone call to the PAA CPDO. Cancellations received fourteen (14) days prior to the Continuing Professional Development activity will receive a full refund of the registration fee, less a $35.00 + GST processing fee. PAA reserves the right to cancel any activity, in which case a full refund of the registration fee will be provided.
Continuing Education Credits
The Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (PAA) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) to offer Continuing Education (CE) for psychologists. This workshop is offered for six (6.0) hours of CE Credit. Full attendance at the workshop is required to receive Continuing Education Credits. Partial credit will not be awarded, and late arrivals or early departure will preclude awarding of Continuing Education Credits. PAA maintains responsibility for the program.