Culture and Identity in the Clinic

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

Discover practical skills for engaging with identity in ways that support understanding, connection, and mental well-being.

Why This Training Matters

Identity-related conversations often carry emotional weight and complexity, particularly when values, experiences, or power dynamics differ. Without skills to navigate these moments, people may avoid important discussions or unintentionally cause harm.

This session reframes identity as an opportunity for learning and connection rather than division. By focusing on concrete skills, the training equips viewers to engage more thoughtfully with identity in everyday interactions, supporting healthier relationships and environments across professional and personal settings.

What You’ll Learn

  • Core skills for engaging with identity respectfully
  • How curiosity and flexibility reduce defensiveness
  • Navigating difference without avoidance or escalation
  • Applying identity-aware skills in real-world settings
  • Supporting mental health through inclusive communication

Key Takeaways

  • Participants leave this session with greater clarity and confidence.
  • Identity-aware skills are learnable and practical.
  • Curiosity and openness foster connection across differences.
  • Avoidance often increases misunderstanding and tension.
  • Skillful engagement supports psychological safety and well-being.
  • Small shifts in approach can have meaningful impact.

Learning Objectives

After viewing this session, participants will be able to:

  • Describe how identity influences communication and relationships
  • Apply practical skills for navigating difference with curiosity and respect
  • Use identity-aware strategies to support connection and mental well-being

Who Should Watch

  • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, counselors, and therapists)
  • Health care professionals
  • Community & public health leaders
  • Education & school professionals
  • Faith & community leaders
  • Individuals & families
  • Parents & caregivers
  • Workplace & organizational leaders

Event Details

  • Date Recorded: September 12, 2025
  • Length: 90 minutes
  • Presenters: Lisa W. Coyne, PhD & Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH

Watch this free on-demand session to build practical skills for understanding cultural identity, navigating difference, and fostering meaningful connection.

Topics Covered During This Training

  • Why are things like culture, race, gender, and faith so important when helping people with mental health?
  • What other things about who people are should doctors think about?
  • What does “intersectionality” mean and why does it matter in mental health care?
  • How fast should doctors try to learn about all these different parts of who their patients are?
  • Do you find that there are some common mistakes doctors make when they don’t understand their patients’ backgrounds?
  • How should doctors work differently with identity parts you can see versus parts you cannot see?
  • Do people change which parts of themselves they show based on where they are or who they’re with?
  • What unfair systems make it hard for some groups of people to get mental health care?
  • When and how should doctors talk to patients about unfair treatment in society?
  • How do people from different cultures show mental health problems differently?
  • What should doctors do when language or culture makes it hard to talk with patients?
  • Can you share a time when you caught yourself being unfair and how you fixed it?
  • How should doctors handle their own unfair thoughts about patients?
  • What works best when treating patients whose political views are very different from yours?
  • How do you handle it when patients want to know your political views before they trust you?
  • How should you respond when a patient reacts to your race or culture in an unexpected way?
  • How can doctors help patients deal with the shame they feel about themselves while still respecting their beliefs?
  • What does “minority stress” mean for patient care?
  • How does this stress build up over time and affect patients?
  • What body language and nonverbal cues should doctors pay attention to with different patients?
  • How should new doctors handle feeling nervous about talking about culture and identity?
  • What should you do when coworkers are not inclusive or use bad language about identity?
  • Organizations suggest you ask about pronouns in the first session, but you said we should go at the patient’s pace. How do you navigate these requirements?
  • How do you manage your own feelings when working with patients whose political views strongly oppose your own?
  • How should doctors write about culture, gender identity, or sexual orientation as stress factors while protecting the patient?
  • What are your key takeaways that you hope people will remember from this session?

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Resources

You may also find this information useful:

About Dr. Coyne

Lisa W. Coyne, PhD, is a senior clinical consultant at McLean Hospital and an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, an internationally recognized acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and the author of numerous books for parents, children, and teens.

About Dr. Crawford

Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH, is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist at Boston Medical Center. She is an assistant professor and vice chair of education in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. She also serves as the associate medical director for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).

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