Cultural Competence in Therapy

Lessons from working with veterans and first responders

The term cultural competence comes up often in psychology and counselling. At its best, it reminds us that therapy happens within a cultural context, people bring their own values, histories, and identities into the room. But in practice, the idea can be misunderstood or overstated. Sometimes it’s used to suggest that therapists must share a client’s background to work effectively with them. That can sound appealing, but it oversimplifies both culture and therapy.

My own background gives me some insight into these complexities. I’m the daughter of a police officer who served in the Army Reserve, and the mother of a soldier. I’ve spent years working with veterans and first responders. Those personal connections help me understand the culture of service, the loyalty, the discipline, the protective dark humour, and the pride that sits alongside fatigue and loss. But those connections don’t make me immune to misunderstanding, and they don’t give me automatic access to anyone else’s experience. They simply remind me to stay curious, humble, and alert to what belongs to me and what belongs to the client.

Awareness vs Equivalence

It’s helpful to draw a line between cultural awareness and cultural equivalence. Awareness means being informed and open recognising how culture, community, spirituality, and occupation shape a person’s worldview. It asks therapists to listen carefully, to learn from the client, and to notice their own assumptions.

Cultural equivalence, by contrast, assumes that only someone with the same background can understand. That idea can unintentionally limit both therapist and client. Most people hold multiple identities at once. A first responder might also be a parent, a migrant, or someone with a strong faith tradition. Each of these influences how they see the world, how the experience service, how they cope and recover from distress.

For example, a veteran whose faith is central to their life may interpret trauma through moral or spiritual questions wondering about purpose, meaning, or fairness. A culturally aware therapist doesn’t need to share that faith to work effectively. They need to recognise how it shapes the person’s coping and sense of self.

When therapists rely too heavily on equivalence, they can over-identify. It’s easy to assume understanding because a story sounds familiar, or to respond from one’s own experience instead of the client’s meaning. Shared experience can build rapport, but it can also blur boundaries if not handled reflectively. Awareness allows for empathy without assumption. It’s about understanding difference, not erasing it.

As therapists, we need to know the line between what is ours and what belongs to the client. Our task is not to merge experiences but to hold space for someone else’s even when it touches close to our own.

Growing as therapists

Developing cultural awareness is a lifelong process. It means staying reflective, asking questions, and recognising our own blind spots. It also means knowing where our experience ends and another person’s begins.

My background helps me to connect, but it also reminds me to pause. It’s easy to feel a pull toward familiarity to nod knowingly, to fill in the blanks, or to assume understanding. The real work of cultural awareness lies in resisting that pull. When we meet each client as an individual, rather than a version of our own experience, the therapeutic relationship is more authentic.

For those working with veterans or first responders, this awareness helps build trust. These clients value authenticity and will quickly detect overconfidence or performance. They respond best when we are grounded, respectful, and genuinely interested. The goal isn’t to be part of their world but to understand how that world shapes their wellbeing.

Cultural competence, then, is less about identity and more about integrity. It’s about knowing ourselves well enough to keep the focus where it belongs - on the client. It’s about understanding context, respecting difference, and staying aware of the boundaries that make empathy, and effective therapy, possible.

TL;DR

Cultural competence is about understanding context, not matching identity.

Veterans and first responders bring distinct values shaped by service and duty.

Shared experience can inform empathy but must be held reflectively.

Awareness allows therapists to understand without assuming and connect without over-identifying.

Cultural competence grows through reflection, curiosity, and clear boundaries.