Cultural Competence

As an occupational therapist, I am sure to see many people from many different backgrounds, religions, and cultures.  I feel it is so easy to judge what you do not understand.  So to avoid that, we must try to understand what we do not know.  In class, we discussed being culturally competent to provide great care for all of the clients we serve.  In class, we discussed the cultural iceberg, which I found very interesting.  The cultural iceberg includes behaviors and practices, attitudes, core values, and institutions of influence.  Behaviors and practices are what can be seen by others.  Attitudes are how the values are reflected in specific every day actions. Core values are what are considered right or wrong, good or bad to the person. Institutions of influence are the forces which create and define a cultures core values.  From this I learned just how deep cultural practices can be embedded in a person.  Really, the way a person practices and lives can be traced back to the core or who they are and what they see as truth based on their culture.  It is important that I am sensitive to the ways that my clients practice and realize just how deep their values run.  If I can be competent in other's cultures and values, I will be able to form better relationships and further serve my clients better.