Culture and Community at BUCC

We believe each person exists at many intersections: culture, identity, contextual factors, experience, and more.   We both strive to be well informed about these intersecting identities, and believe that cultivating cultural humility is a prerequisite to intercultural effectiveness and loving interactions across difference.  We believe that all counseling is multicultural counseling, and being an effective counselor requires attention to the culture and identities present in the therapy space. We are therefore committed to and pursue ongoing intercultural effectiveness with an attitude of humility, curiosity, and respect.

We also recognize that this intercultural work takes place on many levels and in many directions.  It is present in our work with clients, our interactions with colleagues, our trainee-trainer relationships, and our existence within institutional structures and cultures. Each of us has a pivotal role in tending the relationships and interactions through which culture is present.

We are guided by APA’s position statement “Preparing Professional Psychologists to Serve a Diverse Public: A Core Requirement in Doctoral Education and Training” 

We train interns to be well-rounded professional psychologists with the competencies to serve clients of varied identities, coming from many backgrounds, and holding differing worldviews. In providing this training, we commit ourselves to creating a supportive training environment that allows for self-exploration and the development of cognitive flexibility.

Interns training in our center are expected to develop competencies to effectively serve a variety of populations, including clients whose identity, beliefs, worldview, or cultural background may create personal conflict with that of the intern.

We believe that in working through these conflicts interns will have the opportunity to grow and obtain valuable skills and experiences that will enhance their development as clinicians. Supervision is encouraged as a useful tool to obtain support during challenging times of growth.