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Cultural Supervision

Donna Hensen’s Cultural Supervision for Counsellors Supporting Indigenous Clients

Supporting clients who have experienced trauma can be challenging, especially if we lack understanding of their cultural needs and perspectives. For Indigenous clients, the trauma they experienced can be compounded by historical and intergenerational traumas. This is where Donna Hensen comes in. Donna Hensen is a highly skilled cultural supervisor who works with counsellors in providing support and guidance to Indigenous clients.

Donna Hensen’s cultural supervision program is designed to help counsellors develop a deeper understanding of the Indigenous Trauma Trail. This program is built on the understanding that all individuals, including clients, have a unique cultural framework that must be taken into account during therapy. Cultural supervision aims to help counsellors reflect on their cultural values, beliefs, and assumptions that often affect the working alliance with Indigenous clients.

Specifically, Donna’s program is rooted in the Indigenous view of the world, where everything is connected, and every experience is considered important.

Donna’s cultural supervision program benefits counsellors in many ways. 

  1. It offers a safe space for self-reflection and helps counsellors recognize their biases and cultural assumptions, leading to better cultural competence.
  2. It offers an opportunity for counsellors to learn about historical and intergenerational trauma and their impact on Indigenous clients.
  3. Through cultural supervision, counsellors learn how intergenerational trauma affects individuals, families, and communities, and how to incorporate cultural healing practices.
  4. The program offers guidance on creating partnerships with Indigenous clients and their communities, leading to better rapport and engagement.

Donna’s cultural supervision program also provides practical tips for counsellors supporting Indigenous clients. 

Donna’s program emphasizes the importance of understanding Indigenous worldviews and their expression through language, art, and cultural practices.

Another critical aspect of Donna’s cultural supervision program is the importance of using alternate strategies when working with Indigenous clients. Traditional counselling approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy or psychoanalysis, may not be as effective for Indigenous clients. Hence, Donna’s program offers guidance on how to use alternate strategies to support Indigenous clients, such as incorporating traditional practices, such as storytelling, art therapy, and ceremony.

Alternate strategies aim to empower clients and promote healing by incorporating cultural values and practices.

Donna Hensen’s cultural supervision program is an invaluable resource for counsellors who are committed to providing the best support for their Indigenous clients. By developing a deeper understanding of Indigenous worldviews, historical and intergenerational trauma, and alternate strategies, counsellors can provide culturally sensitive and relevant therapy that promotes healing and empowerment. As the field of counselling continues to evolve, it is essential to embrace and incorporate cultural competence into practice, and Donna Hensen’s cultural supervision program is an excellent example of this.