Cultural Competency

for professionals in psychology, behavioral health, and social work

Presented by Dr. Nyabang Buom

Videos

The following video is of Dr. Nyabang Buom’s training on “Cultural Competency: Moving Towards a Progressive Approach in Addressing Mental Health.” This training focuses on increasing the cultural competence of behavioral health professionals to improve the quality of care provided to clients from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Cultural Competency:
Moving Towards a Progressive Approach
in Addressing Mental Health

(Dr. Nyabang Buom)

Presenter Slides

Description:

This training focuses on increasing the cultural competence of behavioral health professionals to improve the quality of care provided to clients from culturally diverse backgrounds. This training aims to identify oppressive clinical practices that harm clients and recognize clinical discomfort. Learn how to go beyond a textbook approach by being present with individuals and to implement modernized approaches to complement existing models that assist culturally diverse communities (e.g. refugees, immigrants) in rebuilding protective factors and healing systems that lead toward better mental health outcomes. Also learn about the multidimensional factors that influence culture and the detrimental influence of society’s dominant culture(s) that refuel and empower dominant groups by disempowering marginalized groups.

Date Presented: Tues., Mar. 26, 2024 9:00am – 1:00pm (Central)
Date Training Expires: Mar. 26, 2026

Objectives:

  • Define and describe how culture, cultural identity, intersectionality, and intersecting identities are related to behavioral health and behavioral health care.
  • Explain culturally competent constructs that encourage the practice of cultural sensitivity, and cultural understandings in psychotherapeutic processes, dynamics, and outcomes (i.e. how to learn about a client’s cultural identity & clinical self-assessment).
  • Define and discuss the differences between intersectionality versus intersecting identities and its effect on the therapeutic alliance.
  • Define key bias-based terminology and discuss how they may affect the clinician’s perceptions, decisions, conceptualizations and therapeutic relationships.

Supporting Material

Presenter Slides

Respect Model

Communication Styles

Addressing Framework

Hays Addressing Framework and Overview

How to Better Understand Different Social Identities

Framework of Radical Healing in Communities of Color

Development of the SSMHA Scale

Example of Outpatient Treatment Goals

About the Speaker

Dr. Nyabang Buom

Dr. Nyabang Buom

PhD, Clinical Psychology
Dr. Nyabang Buom (She/Hers) is a first-generation South Sudanese Mental Health professional and a Clinical Research Specialist. Dr. Buom has always prioritized education stemming from her educational experience as a young girl in the Ethiopian refugee camps through her educational journey in the U.S. Throughout her range of experiences, Dr. Buom was able to delve deeper into understanding the experiences of health disparities in ethnic/racial minorities, and the factors that affect/contribute to their diagnoses. Dr. Buom’s clinical training in both community mental health centers and trauma one medical centers, has focused on starting from the highest point of the hierarchy and bringing forward uncomfortable conversations about cultural issues, multicultural acceptance, and cultural sensitivity. Today, as an early career specialist, Dr. Buom is committed to recognizing, calling-in, strengthening communities, empowering others, and making meaningful contributions to the field in order to promote multicultural acceptance and cultural sensitivity.

These trainings were funded in whole or in part by funds from the SAMHSA Community Mental Health Block Grant, SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and state funds sub-granted from the Nebraska Department of Health and Services, Division of Behavioral Health.