Treatment of people from other cultures and belief systems happens on a regular basis when working in the mental health field.  This includes many aspects of culture, including gender, sexual identity, ethnicity, race, and religion to name a few.  Cultural sensitivity is essential in the mental health field as one works with all different people, since mental illness is found among all people.

• Go to the OER Website: https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/46663-abnormal-psychology/view
  • Read in Unit 1 “Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health.”
• Consider why one must be sensitive to different ways of thinking, doing, and believing in one’s clients. 

• Prepare to engage in discussion over the questions below:

• • Why is it important to be culturally sensitive?
  • How difficult would it be for you to work with someone of a different belief system such as atheism, Muslim, etc. knowing that in governmental/secular agencies you cannot discuss your belief system or share it with your clients?