Sociopolitical Values: The Neglected Factor in Culturally- Competent Psychotherapy

Abstract

The role of sociopolitical values remains a neglected factor in clinical practice. Many clinicians regularly commit “cultural malpractice” by failing to take into account their own sociopolitical values and those of their clients. However, sociopolitical values may be the most important factor to consider in any culturally-competent psychotherapy that is truly client-centered. Sociopolitical values are often central to a client’s personality and identity. As such, understanding a client’s sociopolitical values can be useful therapeutically, and a congruence between therapist and client sociopolitical values may enhance the therapeutic relationship. Although a lack of value congruence can be detrimental to the therapeutic relationship, this need not be the case if the therapist is culturally sensitive. Because mental health professionals overwhelmingly tilt to the left politically, they should be cognizant of the fact that their politically conservative, libertarian, and centrist clients will not share many of their values. Clinicians must be sensitive to the impact this may have on the therapeutic alliance and the ways in which this influences their diagnostic and therapeutic choices. Ensuring that clinicians are culturally sensitive with respect to sociopolitical values will require systemic changes in how mental health professions conceptualize culturally- and ethically-competent practice, develop and evaluate standards and guidelines for multicultural practice, and recruit and educate clinicians. While such advances are developing, however, clinicians can adopt practices to help ensure that they will be culturally competent when working with clients who have sociopolitical values different from their own.