Multicultural Awareness & Diversity: Powerful Strategies to Advance Client Rapport & Cultural Competence

CPD

Handouts

Faculty

Lambers Fisher, MS, LMFT, MDiv Related seminars and products

---

Lambers Fisher, MS, LMFT, MDiv, is a marriage and family therapist who has counseled individuals, couples, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds, in private practice, non-profit organizations, as well as ministry environments. He has a strong desire to help counseling professionals in various fields feel more comfortable, competent and confident in their ability to meet the needs of whomever they have the opportunity to serve. Lambers' training experience includes facilitating workshops, guest lecturing, as well as being an adjunct instructor at Crown College on various aspects of diversity in counseling.

Lambers is the author of the award-winning book, Diversity in Clinical Practice: A Practical & Shame-Free Guide to Reducing Cultural Offenses & Repairing Cross-Cultural Relationships.

Currently, Lambers is a therapist in private practice where he effectively balances personal and professional experiences to provide unique and practical perspectives on a variety of culturally sensitive topics. Lambers supervises aspiring therapists as a board-approved supervisor for the Minnesota Board of Marriage & Family Therapists as well as the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health. He obtained a Master of Science in Marriage & Family Therapy as well as a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lambers Fisher maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Christian Heart Counseling. He is an adjunct instructor at Crown College. Lambers Fisher receives a speaking honorarium, book royalties, recording royalties, and a consulting fee from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lambers Fisher is a member of the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy and the Minnesota Association for Marriage & Family Therapy.

Alternate Options

Objectives

1. Implement the DSM-5® criteria and cultural formulation interview to accurately assess for cultural influences as it relates to diagnosis.
2. Analyze biases to improve clinical strategies, rapport, and engagement with a variety of clients.
3. Develop a deep understanding of the impact of varying cultural group experiences to enhance empathy in session.
4. Devise ethical standards for a culturally competent practice related therapeutic authority and self disclosure.
5. Utilize clinical strategies to address unintentional cultural offenses towards clients to increase treatment effectiveness.
6. Apply skills to overcome cultural barriers such as language, religion and different belief systems to improve session outcomes.

Outline

Cultural Competencies in Mental Health

• Client-centered approach to cultural competence
• Trends in cultural identity development
• Acknowledge cultural differences: terms of reference, racism and stereotypes
• Improve client rapport
  • Make cultural connections
  • Acquire knowledge & skills
  • View behaviour within a cultural context
• Exercise: Cultural Self-Assessment

Ethics & the DSM-5®: Guidelines for the Integration of Cultural Competencies

• Cross-cultural variations in presentations
• Cultural genograms
• Assessments and diagnostic protocols
• DSM-5® Cultural Formulation
• Ethical standards for culturally competent practice
  • Cultural perspectives on therapeutic authority
  • Referring without abandoning
  • Effective self-disclosure
  • Advocacy and social justice
• Exercise: Cultural Formulation Interview

Overcome Dilemmas in Practice

• Working with limited English proficiency and bi/multilingual clients
• When to use an interpreter
• Strategies for working with cultural transference and countertransference
• Avoiding and addressing unintentional cultural offences toward clients
• Empathizing with victims as well as accused perpetrators of social injustice

Interventions & Strategies for Specific Populations

• Understand client experiences of sexual identity and gender fluidity
• Strategies for supporting clients when therapist’s and client’s religious beliefs conflict
• Methods for building rapport with clients with various disabilities
• Adapting therapeutic style to client’s cultural presentation
• Case Examples: Cultural experiences therapists often misunderstand

Overcome Limitations of the Research & Potential Risks

• Limited empirical models
• Lack of professional awareness & confidence
• Changing cultural values, needs & expressions
• Incomplete scope: clients, counsellors, supervisors, colleagues & community

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Psychiatrists
• Case Managers
• Addiction Counselors
• Therapists
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals