Title: Cultural Awareness and Competence in Behavioral Health
Headings: 
Cultural Awareness and Competence in Behavioral Health
Understanding Culture
Culture and Behavioral Health Services
Becoming Self-Aware as a Counselor
Increasing Cultural Competence
References

Content: Her mother told her that she had been frequently bullied and physically assaulted by Hispanic females when she was in high school, and still harbored negative feelings and attitudes about this population (felt they were hostile, aggressive, and dangerous). The counselor admitted that she had taken on some of her mother’s biases, and it was impacting her ability to work with this population. In supervision, she was able to work through this and begin working effectively with Hispanic women, but may have been unable to do so if she had not had the willingness to question her beliefs and overcome her biases. This is an excellent example of self-awareness, which is essential for counselors to work effectively with diverse populations. As counselors, we must be aware of our attitudes, fears, beliefs, and biases, and how they impact our work with clients. A good first step toward cultural competence is to understand and appreciate our own culture and heritage. Everyone has a culture, and culture can evolve over time. For example, we may have very different beliefs, attitudes, and values than we did 20 years ago. The process of learning about our own culture can be interesting and enlightening. We can learn about our ancestors and their experiences and beliefs.