The Importance of Seeking Culturally Informed (CALD) Counselling in Brisbane: Breaking the Stigma
In a cosmopolitan and ethnically heterogenous city like Brisbane, the pace of life can sometimes feel overwhelming, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds can find it challenging to prioritize mental health and seek the appropriate support needed. Yet, despite growing awareness, seeking counselling amongst CALD people still carries a stigma for many. This blog explores the importance of seeking culturally informed (CALD) counselling in Brisbane and how breaking the stigma can lead to better mental health outcomes for individuals and the community as a whole.
Understanding the Stigma
The stigma surrounding counselling for CALD communities often stems from:
1) Cultural beliefs: Some cultures stigmatize mental health issues as they can be perceived as a ‘weakness’ to one’s character or faith/religion. The underpinning belief is generally around being seen as personal failing and/or a threat to one’s (or one’s family’s) reputation.
2) Language barriers: Limited English proficiency can be a significant barrier to seeking counselling, particularly in Brisbane as the CALD mental health services are not as expansive compared to Victoria and New South Wales. There is also an additional fear around being misunderstood especially when negligence or abuse of minors is involved. However, there are more services in Brisbane today that provide counselling in various CALD languages as well as translating services. Check out World Wellness Group, Hayat Line, QPASTT, and Queensland Transcultural Mental Health if you or someone you know require counselling in other languages.
3) Lack of Cultural Competence: CALD individuals may feel that the Anglo-Saxon or Caucasian therapist many not have the cultural competency that is required to effectively support them. The hesitation in engaging with a therapist is also compounded with the fact that CALD individuals would have to pay for more sessions initially in order to outline his/her cultural and/or religious context.
4) Social expectations (family and community): There can be pressure from family members not to ‘air their dirty laundry’. There is often a strong underlying emphasis on the fear of judgment or shame.
5) Fear of discrimination: Past negative experiences play a role if CALD individuals (or their family members) have experienced discrimination or marginalization when seeking help. More often than not, people who are seeking counselling tend to be in a more vulnerable predisposition. When the vulnerability is being met with negative experiences of discrimination, it is less likely for the person to venture out towards counselling again.
6) Lack of confidentiality: CALD communities in Brisbane particularly, are rather ‘tightly knit’. When seeking CALD or culturally informed counselling, the issue of confidentiality may arise as practitioners can also be from the same community. CALD individuals can perceive that their confidentiality is not maintained if they were to seek counselling from someone in the same community.
The misconceptions and societal attitudes amongst CALD populations are towards mental health are very real. This mindset can prevent individuals from reaching out for support despite their struggles, leading to prolonged suffering and escalating mental health problems and illnesses.
Challenging the Misconceptions
It is important to challenge these misconceptions in the 21st century. Recognizing that seeking counselling is not only a courageous step, but also a proactive and educated move towards better mental health. It helps develop awareness around what is needed for our personal growth and wellbeing. Just as we prioritize our financial health, our social connections, our spiritual or religious practices, and our physical well-being, we must also prioritize our mental well-being through counselling and therapy. Being aware of culturally informed (CALD) counsellors in Brisbane helps people from CALD backgrounds research and enquire with various mental health practitioners in order to find the best fit for them.
The Benefits of Culturally Informed (CALD) Counselling
The main advantage of seeking CALD counselling lies in the culturally informed (CALD) counsellor’s appreciation and validation of cultural and religious diversity within therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, most CALD counsellors have a breadth of lived experiences to draw from. CALD individuals can easily build rapport and tacked the issues troubling them in a shorter period of time. CALD counsellors have a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by people from collectivist communities as well as understand the demands of Australia’s Western society. This allows for tailored interventions that resonate with their CALD clients. Cultural and religious factors often impact mental health and wellbeing interventions and outcomes, and therefore should not be ignored. Finally, by embracing cultural diversity, clients from CALD populations can begin to shift archaic false beliefs around counselling, and can be empowered to navigate their mental health journey with a sense of self-respect, resilience, dignity and belonging.
Breaking the Stigma of Counselling in CALD communities: A Collective Effort
Breaking the stigma surrounding counselling requires:
addressing the stigmas,
keeping an open mind about the breadth of counselling services available in Brisbane that are provided by CALD individuals themselves, engaging in counselling services that offer various languages, conducting or participating in outreach and education programs, and collaborating with community leaders, religious leaders, and various cultural organizations.
It demands a collective effort from all of us as individuals, employees, employers, policy makers, parents, teachers, ministers and political parties. It starts with open conversations about mental health, normalizing the idea of seeking culturally informed counselling, reading and writing blog or vlogs to promote CALD counselling and providing psychoeducation to dispel myths and misconceptions. We need to foster a culture of acceptance and support within our CALD communities so that we can create an environment where seeking culturally informed counselling is viewed as a positive and empowering choice for ourselves and our future generation.
To conclude, the importance of seeking culturally informed (CALD) counselling in Brisbane cannot be minimized. If you or someone you know could benefit from a culturally informed (CALD) counsellor, book an appointment with myself. To learn more about my CALD work experience, transcultural mental health research and my expertise, visit https://www.aroad2recovery.com/our-therapeutic-team.
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