A big part of what is done here at Culture Therapy comes from the discipline of cultural psychology. Let's take a look at what that is and how it impacts what I do with my clients.
First, cultural psychology is the study of how cultures shape our psychological processes. It is a sub-field in psychology, and its main premise is to find out how culture influences people's behavior and impacts their worldview so we can better understand people and deal with them in a more inclusive, integrative way.
This is an important aspect of the work done here at Culture Therapy, because cultural psychology has taught me how to understand and work with different backgrounds. Having lived in several countries growing up, it has helped me reconcile all the different cultures I've experienced into one identity that represents me. It has helped me learn to adapt to new cultures I experience, and has made me a more respectful and understanding traveler. It has also helped me be a better therapist.
Cultural psychology teaches us psychologists how to incorporate someone's culture into the therapeutic process, so that therapy holds meaning to the person going through it, inviting change in a more compelling way to the client. Therapy needs to be meaningful and to tackle the individual's difficulties with his/her beliefs and identity in mind, providing a sense of security even during uncomfortable times. To provide clients with therapy that is truly tailored to them and their needs, it is extremely important that I take their cultural background into account.
Maybe cultural psychology can help you, too. Check out other blog posts on here or go to my facebook page on cultural psychology for more information. And, as always, you can message me for a private consultation or just to have a chat about culture and how it has influenced you to become who you are today.