This webinar explores how psychotherapy can be adapted to better meet the cultural and linguistic needs of diverse patient populations while examining the structural factors that influence the integration of psychotherapy within contemporary psychiatric care. Participants will explore culturally sensitive therapeutic practices, including community, arts-based and other culturally resonant approaches to improve assessment, engagement, and treatment outcomes while reducing stigma and barriers to care. The session highlights the role of therapist self-awareness, cultural humility, and reflective practice as foundational elements of culturally responsive care, and reviews established models of culturally adapted interventions, such as Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Learning Objectives
- Examine how culturally sensitive therapeutic practices can be integrated into psychotherapy training and delivery to improve assessment and treatment progress for clients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Understand how culturally resonant interventions, such as references to traditional healing methods, arts-based approaches, nature-based interventions and community gardening can address stigma and taboo in communities that face barriers to trust and access.
- Understand the role of therapists’ self-awareness, cultural humility, and reflective practice as foundational to designing and delivering culturally responsive care in diverse clinical settings.
- Discuss the structural and institutional factors that influence the integration of psychotherapy and therapeutic care within contemporary psychiatric practice.
Target Audience
Medical students, Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, Non-psychiatrist Physicians, Psychologists, Social Workers, Nurses, Peer Specialists
Format
Recorded webinar.
Estimate Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour
Program Start Date: September 16, 2026
Program End Date: September 16, 2029
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Division of Diversity and Health Equity (DDHE). APA is jointly accredited by the American Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Planning Committee and Faculty Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME'sStandards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Faculty Disclosures
- Helena Hansen, MD, PhD.
- Neil Aggarwal, MD.
- R. Merkel, MD.
Planning Committee
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This website requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance