I really enjoyed reading the article and feel that this is an important topic that needs to be discussed more often. Thank you for the great information
This article provided excellent strategies for my work as a white woman with Communities of Color. Striving to build the empathy, self-awareness and skills necessary to providing culturally efficient and competent services to Communities of Color is our ethical responsibility as health care professionals. This article is a must read for anyone working in healthcare related fields. Thank you to the authors for communicating such imperative information in such a concise and direct manor—I look forward to sharing with my colleagues!
Great article! Although, all three domains are essential. I find the domain of self-awareness to be the most important. Without having a strong awareness of ones self (biases, prejudices, weakness, and strengths), the clinician will not be able to practice empathy nor develop the necessary skills to connect with the community.
Much appreciate such excellent guidance! Written with great clarity and concision, this article illuminates the pivotal importance of framing work with communities of color as strategic collaborations. I intend to return to this piece continually as I move forward in future projects. Very pleased a link to the Implicit Association Test is included—for anyone who may be holding onto questions about the contemporary relevance of the strategies outlined in this article, I strongly recommend taking a few minutes looking into those websites. Kudos to the authors!
An excellent and refreshing piece that not only highlights an under-discussed topic, but also provides concrete tools and steps that anyone working for communities of color can utilize. The three domains provided in this article are essential to begin building trust with communities of color who continue to be underserved, and burdened with racism and discrimination in all aspects of their lives. I am looking forward to sharing this piece with others. I hope anyone reading this article will consider the recommendations provided by the authors!
This article was informative and concise. I appreciate the authors’ dedication to helping those of us who work in healthcare-related fields provide better services to Communities of Color, and am grateful for the practical strategies they describe in the 3 domains. I got into my field because of my desire to want to be of service to others and this article outlines the work I have to do on myself and on my identity as a white woman in order for that to be possible. I will definitely be sharing this with others as it will help us all take a step in the right direction.
Timely topic! Sharing with colleagues. This overview is clear, concise, and helpful- I hope to see the authors expand on the domains in future writings.
This is an excellent article! I wish I had this information when I started working as a professional in the mental health field. Healthcare workers continue to use the colonization approach which fails to appreciate the strength and resilience of the populations they serve. The assumption is there is something wrong rather than understanding the impact of oppression in our society. As an educator in a graduate counseling program I plan to include this article in my required reading list for all classes. Thank you to the authors for offering such clear, practical advice for those of us so privileged we often miss what is so obvious. Humility, respect, and self-awareness is key.
Thank you for addressing this important topic of building trust with minoritized communities. As a Muslim woman, I think it is essential for health providers to build trust with the Muslim community that is constantly under government surveillance, criticized by the media, and face racism and discrimination due to recent changes in the sociopolitical climate in the U.S. and around the world. These practical guidelines can help providers, particularly mental health providers, understand the underutilization and underrepresentation of Muslims in health initiatives. The authors also provided excellent recommendations for increasing self-awareness and building skills. This is a great resource for any providers working with communities of color and minoritized populations.
Excellent reading! The authors cover such an important topic with significant consequences on client engagement and retention in therapy. As a bilingual therapist myself, I strongly believe that without the strategies and skills highlighted in this article and thus honoring the cultural heritage of our clients, one cannot be the best possible therapist while serving communities of color.
I greatly appreciate the strengths-based approach this article utilizes, as far too often communities of color are conceptualized in negative manner or through deficiency terms. I also appreciate how the authors’ call for self-awareness exploration by the health provider, another aspect of engaging communities of colors that may be disregarded by health providers. Throughout the article, I noted the call for mental health professionals to do the “work”, rather than focusing on communities of color to assimilate to the majority culture. This approach is incredibly important to note, as at times mental health professionals implicitly or explicitly attempt to alter communities of color. The call for health providers to explore the complexities of communities of colors is vital, and as a person of color and a mental health professional it thrills me to no end to see these dialogues occurring!
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and reflections on the importance of engaging and building trust with all Communities of Color. Each comment adds to the collective discourse on developing counter-narratives that question the dominant discourse in health and health initiatives. The community’s ideas, voices, and traditions are all pearls of wisdom that completes the bedrock of what health is all about. Let’s continue #CreatingHealth.
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and reflections on the importance of engaging and building trust with all Communities of Color. Each comment adds to the collective discourse on developing counter-narratives that question the dominant discourse in health and health initiatives. The community’s ideas, voices, and traditions are all pearls of wisdom that completes the bedrock of what health is all about. Let’s continue #CreatingHealth.
I am very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the dialogue regarding how to build trust with communities of color, thank you!! As the U.S. demographics continue to change and color the landscape of this country, it is important to build trust with communities of color so that decisions about health practices and initiatives are made through the collaboration of the health professionals and members of the communities such initiatives are designed to help. Communities of color have often being invisible, ignored, and their wisdom underestimated; however, I invite all of us who are committed to healing the body and the soul of communities of color to remember we have a lot to learn from members of such communities. They are the real experts; we are just the guides and promotores de salud (health facilitators). Let’s keep the dialogue going.
As a Latina and future counselor I felt pleased after reading this article. We need to truly understand communities of color in order to provide them with the best treatment. I especially liked the part of developing skills to learn cultural nuances. We can be very empathic and self-aware of our biases and stereotypes and still misinterpret verbal communications and fail to understand nonverbal ones if we are not familiarized with the specific culture. Additionally, I also agree that it is important to promote a relationship of trust between communities of color and health professionals so they can get involved and participate in the process. Thank you for providing useful recommendations!
Great article! I do believe that health providers need to be aware and be able to understand the communities of color. Being Latina i can relate to this article I would like to see my health provider know more not just about my culture but other cultures. I want to feel understood and i want to be able to trust the health provider. It is great to see that there are already some programs that meet some of the criteria’s. It would be amazing to see health professionals participating in these programs and learn about the communities of color. Thank you to Dr. Chavez and Dr. Adames for bringing awareness about this topic.
This is a great read for anyone who works with communities of color. As someone who works with immigrant communities and hopes to continue to work with them, this is very helpful.
There is a lot of work we must do in order to better serve our communities. I think Domain 2 is essential for this to occur; without acknowledging or being aware of our biases, prejudices and stereotypes, there is little room for growth. Also,I have witnessed the resilience and strength in these communities so I truly appreciate the authors for making that a point.
Thank you for writing about something that is not being talked about enough! I hope that everyone that has the opportunity to read this, that they can all continue the conversation with others, but most importantly, put these domains into practice.
This article beautifully articulates clear and distinct domains for health professionals to develop themselves in order to better serve and understand communities of color. The tone indicates the strengths of these communities and discusses the need for professionals to do the work on themselves. I appreciated the authors’ concise and clear steps of what professionals can do to understand the context of communities of color, as well as systemic discrimination and the importance of the resiliency and strengths of these communities. This should be shared with all health professionals and students to emphasize personal responsibility and commitment to self-awareness and building empathy in order to build trust and relationships.
COMMENTS
BY Cathy K
ON May 21, 2015 01:42 PM
I really enjoyed reading the article and feel that this is an important topic that needs to be discussed more often. Thank you for the great information
BY Mackenzie G.
ON May 21, 2015 04:43 PM
This article provided excellent strategies for my work as a white woman with Communities of Color. Striving to build the empathy, self-awareness and skills necessary to providing culturally efficient and competent services to Communities of Color is our ethical responsibility as health care professionals. This article is a must read for anyone working in healthcare related fields. Thank you to the authors for communicating such imperative information in such a concise and direct manor—I look forward to sharing with my colleagues!
BY Robert Mendez
ON May 21, 2015 04:48 PM
Great article! Although, all three domains are essential. I find the domain of self-awareness to be the most important. Without having a strong awareness of ones self (biases, prejudices, weakness, and strengths), the clinician will not be able to practice empathy nor develop the necessary skills to connect with the community.
BY Kara N
ON May 21, 2015 09:11 PM
Much appreciate such excellent guidance! Written with great clarity and concision, this article illuminates the pivotal importance of framing work with communities of color as strategic collaborations. I intend to return to this piece continually as I move forward in future projects. Very pleased a link to the Implicit Association Test is included—for anyone who may be holding onto questions about the contemporary relevance of the strategies outlined in this article, I strongly recommend taking a few minutes looking into those websites. Kudos to the authors!
BY Silvia P. Salas
ON May 21, 2015 09:47 PM
An excellent and refreshing piece that not only highlights an under-discussed topic, but also provides concrete tools and steps that anyone working for communities of color can utilize. The three domains provided in this article are essential to begin building trust with communities of color who continue to be underserved, and burdened with racism and discrimination in all aspects of their lives. I am looking forward to sharing this piece with others. I hope anyone reading this article will consider the recommendations provided by the authors!
BY Leah Hirsch
ON May 22, 2015 02:56 PM
This article was informative and concise. I appreciate the authors’ dedication to helping those of us who work in healthcare-related fields provide better services to Communities of Color, and am grateful for the practical strategies they describe in the 3 domains. I got into my field because of my desire to want to be of service to others and this article outlines the work I have to do on myself and on my identity as a white woman in order for that to be possible. I will definitely be sharing this with others as it will help us all take a step in the right direction.
BY Margaret Farenger
ON May 22, 2015 06:02 PM
Timely topic! Sharing with colleagues. This overview is clear, concise, and helpful- I hope to see the authors expand on the domains in future writings.
BY Frances L. McClain
ON May 24, 2015 02:33 PM
This is an excellent article! I wish I had this information when I started working as a professional in the mental health field. Healthcare workers continue to use the colonization approach which fails to appreciate the strength and resilience of the populations they serve. The assumption is there is something wrong rather than understanding the impact of oppression in our society. As an educator in a graduate counseling program I plan to include this article in my required reading list for all classes. Thank you to the authors for offering such clear, practical advice for those of us so privileged we often miss what is so obvious. Humility, respect, and self-awareness is key.
BY Minnah F.
ON May 24, 2015 07:39 PM
Thank you for addressing this important topic of building trust with minoritized communities. As a Muslim woman, I think it is essential for health providers to build trust with the Muslim community that is constantly under government surveillance, criticized by the media, and face racism and discrimination due to recent changes in the sociopolitical climate in the U.S. and around the world. These practical guidelines can help providers, particularly mental health providers, understand the underutilization and underrepresentation of Muslims in health initiatives. The authors also provided excellent recommendations for increasing self-awareness and building skills. This is a great resource for any providers working with communities of color and minoritized populations.
BY Corina Ratz
ON May 26, 2015 08:10 PM
Excellent reading! The authors cover such an important topic with significant consequences on client engagement and retention in therapy. As a bilingual therapist myself, I strongly believe that without the strategies and skills highlighted in this article and thus honoring the cultural heritage of our clients, one cannot be the best possible therapist while serving communities of color.
BY Sarah B
ON May 27, 2015 12:47 PM
I greatly appreciate the strengths-based approach this article utilizes, as far too often communities of color are conceptualized in negative manner or through deficiency terms. I also appreciate how the authors’ call for self-awareness exploration by the health provider, another aspect of engaging communities of colors that may be disregarded by health providers. Throughout the article, I noted the call for mental health professionals to do the “work”, rather than focusing on communities of color to assimilate to the majority culture. This approach is incredibly important to note, as at times mental health professionals implicitly or explicitly attempt to alter communities of color. The call for health providers to explore the complexities of communities of colors is vital, and as a person of color and a mental health professional it thrills me to no end to see these dialogues occurring!
BY Hector Y. Adames
ON May 27, 2015 06:17 PM
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and reflections on the importance of engaging and building trust with all Communities of Color. Each comment adds to the collective discourse on developing counter-narratives that question the dominant discourse in health and health initiatives. The community’s ideas, voices, and traditions are all pearls of wisdom that completes the bedrock of what health is all about. Let’s continue #CreatingHealth.
BY Hector Y. Adames
ON May 27, 2015 06:33 PM
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and reflections on the importance of engaging and building trust with all Communities of Color. Each comment adds to the collective discourse on developing counter-narratives that question the dominant discourse in health and health initiatives. The community’s ideas, voices, and traditions are all pearls of wisdom that completes the bedrock of what health is all about. Let’s continue #CreatingHealth.
BY Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas
ON May 28, 2015 08:54 AM
I am very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the dialogue regarding how to build trust with communities of color, thank you!! As the U.S. demographics continue to change and color the landscape of this country, it is important to build trust with communities of color so that decisions about health practices and initiatives are made through the collaboration of the health professionals and members of the communities such initiatives are designed to help. Communities of color have often being invisible, ignored, and their wisdom underestimated; however, I invite all of us who are committed to healing the body and the soul of communities of color to remember we have a lot to learn from members of such communities. They are the real experts; we are just the guides and promotores de salud (health facilitators). Let’s keep the dialogue going.
BY Andreina Phelan
ON May 28, 2015 04:21 PM
As a Latina and future counselor I felt pleased after reading this article. We need to truly understand communities of color in order to provide them with the best treatment. I especially liked the part of developing skills to learn cultural nuances. We can be very empathic and self-aware of our biases and stereotypes and still misinterpret verbal communications and fail to understand nonverbal ones if we are not familiarized with the specific culture. Additionally, I also agree that it is important to promote a relationship of trust between communities of color and health professionals so they can get involved and participate in the process. Thank you for providing useful recommendations!
BY Nancy Chavez
ON May 28, 2015 05:50 PM
Great article! I do believe that health providers need to be aware and be able to understand the communities of color. Being Latina i can relate to this article I would like to see my health provider know more not just about my culture but other cultures. I want to feel understood and i want to be able to trust the health provider. It is great to see that there are already some programs that meet some of the criteria’s. It would be amazing to see health professionals participating in these programs and learn about the communities of color. Thank you to Dr. Chavez and Dr. Adames for bringing awareness about this topic.
BY Jess Perez
ON May 31, 2015 01:05 PM
This is a great read for anyone who works with communities of color. As someone who works with immigrant communities and hopes to continue to work with them, this is very helpful.
There is a lot of work we must do in order to better serve our communities. I think Domain 2 is essential for this to occur; without acknowledging or being aware of our biases, prejudices and stereotypes, there is little room for growth. Also,I have witnessed the resilience and strength in these communities so I truly appreciate the authors for making that a point.
Thank you for writing about something that is not being talked about enough! I hope that everyone that has the opportunity to read this, that they can all continue the conversation with others, but most importantly, put these domains into practice.
BY C.Parker
ON June 3, 2015 06:21 PM
This article beautifully articulates clear and distinct domains for health professionals to develop themselves in order to better serve and understand communities of color. The tone indicates the strengths of these communities and discusses the need for professionals to do the work on themselves. I appreciated the authors’ concise and clear steps of what professionals can do to understand the context of communities of color, as well as systemic discrimination and the importance of the resiliency and strengths of these communities. This should be shared with all health professionals and students to emphasize personal responsibility and commitment to self-awareness and building empathy in order to build trust and relationships.