Resources / What is Culturally Sensitive Therapy and Why Does it Matter?

9 min read

Last updated 6/20/25

What is Culturally Responsive Therapy and Why Does it Matter?

By: Psych Hub

Clinical Reviewer: Jill Donelan, Psy.D

Culturally responsive therapy is a therapeutic approach that acknowledges and honors the diverse identities, values, and experiences each unique client brings. It goes beyond generic care to offer identity-affirming and trauma-informed support.

Inclusive therapists:

Embrace cultural strengths and resources important to your identity
Adapt therapy to your unique to you, including race, culture, gender, faith, disability, and neurotype
Affirm your whole self by integrating an understanding of intersectionality
Practice cultural humility, acknowledging power dynamics and prioritizing transparency
Offer low-cost or flexible services in recognition of systemic barriers to care

When mental health professionals share—or are deeply trained in understanding—your lived experience, it can reduce shame, increase trust, and improve outcomes. For example:

A Black client navigating racial trauma may feel more seen with a Black therapist or one trained in anti-racist care
A transgender client may feel safer with a mental health provider who affirms their pronouns without needing constant explanation or reminders
A neurodivergent client may feel more at ease with a literal communication style and sensory-aware accommodations.

Get our ultimate guide to culturally responsive care.

Download Guide

Barriers to mental health care in marginalized communities

Too often, people from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled, and immigrant communities face steep barriers to accessing care — and too few resources to overcome them.

Common barriers include:

Cultural stigma around mental health
Language barriers or inaccessible provider communication
Lack of mental health providers with shared identities
Historical medical trauma, discrimination, and mistrust
Systemic barriers to care like high cost, limited insurance, or geographic access

These challenges are real, and they can make therapy feel out of reach or even potentially harmful. But they don’t mean support isn’t possible, or that therapy isn’t for you. In fact, with the right tools and mental health provider, it can be a powerful step toward healing, even if mental health isn’t something your family or culture talks about.

If you hear: “In our family, we don’t talk about mental health.”

Try this reframe: “I want to take care of my mind the way I take care of my body.”

For more, check out: How to Talk About Mental Health When It’s Taboo

How to find a culturally responsive and inclusive therapist

You deserve care that fits. Here’s how to find it, step-by-step.

Start by checking in with yourself

Take the Psych Hub well-being assessment to get personalized recommendations based on your needs and preferences.

Use identity-cased filters on Psych Hub's care navigation site

You can filter for:

Therapists by race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and more
Providers who speak your preferred language
Specialties like trauma-informed care, disability, neurodivergence, or LGBTQ+ affirming issues

Explore culturally sensitive therapists now →

Ask the right questions

Use our conversation starter to confidently ask a provider about their:

Approach to cultural identity
Experience with your cultural community
Disability accommodations
Trauma-informed care practices

Download the conversation starter →

Spot red flags (and green ones, too)

Check your gut. Use the therapist fit checklist to ask yourself questions like:

Do they respect your identity, values, and experiences?
Do they communicate in a language that is accessible?
Do they invite feedback and empower your autonomy?

Download the therapist fit checklist →

Remember: “Inclusive therapist” isn’t a credential — it’s a mindset and practice. If something feels off, you’re allowed to ask questions or switch to someone who’s a better match.

What to expect from culturally responsive therapy

Your first session should feel safe, respectful, and nonjudgmental.

Expect your mental health provider to:

Ask about your cultural background, identity, and preferences
Listen without making assumptions
Use inclusive language and honor your pronouns or communication needs
Invite feedback and engage in shared decision-making

Common modalities you might encounter:

Culturally adapted EMDR: supports identity in trauma processing
Feminist therapy: focuses on the effects of social factors and identities, including gender, on mental health
Liberation psychology: centered on social justice and collective healing
Narrative therapy: often cited as a treatment that is particularly suited to cultural adaptations
Trauma-Informed CBT: integrates awareness of systemic oppression

Being seen in therapy means not having to explain why your pain is valid. It means your therapist already believes you.

This is especially important when it comes to the subtle, everyday experiences that can weigh heavily over time — like microaggressions. Culturally competent therapists are trained to recognize these moments, help you process them without minimizing your experience, and support your healing in a way that centers your truth.

Learn more about the mental health toll of microaggressions — and what you can do about It

Inclusive therapy in real life: Different identities, unique needs

Inclusive therapy recognizes that no two people experience the world the same way — especially when it comes to identity. Here’s how culturally sensitive care can support the unique mental health needs of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and disabled communities.

Therapy for BIPOC individuals

For many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, therapy isn’t just about managing symptoms — it’s about processing lived experiences shaped by racism, microaggressions, colorism, and intergenerational trauma. Inclusive therapy can offer space to unpack:

Racial trauma
Cultural guilt or pressure
Family and immigration-related stress
Navigating expectations across generations

Therapists who share or understand your cultural background can be especially powerful allies in this healing process.

Read: Mental Health After Hate: Coping with Racial Trauma →

Find a provider of color →

Therapy for LGBTQ+ and nonbinary communities

Affirming therapy creates a safe environment to explore identity, navigate systemic challenges, and feel fully seen. It can help with:

Coming out or navigating gender identity
Coping with religious trauma or family rejection
Accessing gender-affirming care and resources

Working with LGBTQ+ affirming mental health providers can make a meaningful difference in how safe, supported, and validated you feel.

Find LGBTQ+, nonbinary, and trans therapists →

Therapy for neurodivergent and individuals with disabilities

Neurodivergent and people with disabilities often face barriers in therapy — from inaccessible spaces to communication that doesn’t reflect how they think or feel. Culturally competent care for these communities should consider:

Sensory sensitivities and adaptive communication styles
Flexible, customized session formats
Therapists who affirm disability and neurodiversity as strengths, not deficits

The right provider will not only understand your needs — they may share them.

Find a neurodivergent-affirming therapist →

Community healing resources and tools

Healing doesn’t only happen in therapy—and it doesn’t have to. Culturally grounded practices are powerful tools for connection, resilience, and resources. Explore: