Cultural Humility: Engaging Diverse Identities in Therapy

by Joshua N. Hook PhD, Don Davis PhD, Jesse Owen PhD

Cultural Humility offers a practical approach for meaningfully engaging cultural identities in therapy, to promote connection and growth in work with clients from a variety of backgrounds.

Aligns with APA Divisions 38 and 50.

The authors provide a therapeutic framework that integrates and contextualizes clinical training with the cultural issues and dynamics that arise in therapy. This fully updated second edition incorporates updated theory and research, and provides additional recommendations for how therapists from marginalized groups can navigate issues related to culture in the therapy room. The authors offer new resources to demonstrate how cultural humility and a multicultural orientation (MCO) can help therapists pinpoint and address the systemic and structural issues that can make therapy a difficult experience for many clients. Newly updated and enhanced case examples and activities are included throughout.

The MCO framework involves three components―cultural humility, cultural opportunities, and cultural comfort―which together enable mental health providers to integrate culture into the therapeutic process. The first part of the book introduces the MCO framework, and outlines strategies for working to improve one’s level of cultural humility and comfort in working with diverse clients, as well as the ability to recognize and engage cultural opportunities in therapy. The second part of the book illustrates the integration of the MCO model with key therapeutic processes, including developing a strong working alliance, navigating value differences, repairing the relationship after cultural ruptures, and working within one’s limitations. Supplemental content to support instructor teaching is also available on the book’s website, including companion exercises and resources, lecture slides, a sample syllabus, and glossary of key terms.
 
 
 

265 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[DeAron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first edition of this book so much and quoted it multiple times in my dissertation. I wondered how can the book get any better. However, the second edition has exceeded my expectations. It is layered with recent empirical studies to justify the cultural humility framework. The most impactful aspects of this book is the authors’ vulnerability and reflection exercises for the reader. If you want to level up your work as a therapist this is a great book. It is very accessible so new and experienced counselors can read it and be blessed.