The Value of Cultural Competency for LPCCs and LMFTs at OLLU

In today’s diverse and interconnected world, cultural competency, particularly for those who are working or are interested in working in mental healthcare, is a crucial and necessary skill. For Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), the ability to understand and respect clients’ cultural backgrounds is at the core of not only building trust, but to delivering effective care in each client’s unique circumstances.

At Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU), cultural competency is at the heart of how counselors and therapists are trained. As a proud Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), OLLU has a long history of serving diverse communities with sensitivity and respect, preparing graduates who can meet clients where they are, both culturally and emotionally.

Here’s why cultural competency matters in counseling and family therapy, and how OLLU ensures its graduates are ready to make a meaningful impact in any community.

 

Why Cultural Competency Matters in Counseling

Mental health care is deeply personal and deeply shaped by culture. A client’s identity influences how they view mental health, how they communicate emotions, and even whether they seek therapy at all.

For counselors and therapists, being culturally competent means more than just knowing about cultural differences. It means having the awareness, humility, and skills to adapt your practice to each client’s unique background. This is particularly crucial when working in underserved communities, where mental health professionals often need to work to combat the mistrust of an unwelcoming healthcare system.

Cultural competency helps clinicians:

• Build stronger therapeutic alliances with clients.
• Avoid unintentional bias or microaggressions, which damage patient-practitioner relationships.
• Provide care that is relevant, respectful, and effective.

As mental healthcare needs grow, the ability to practice with cultural awareness is only going to continue to become essential to offering meaningful care to communities.

 

OLLU’s Mission: Serving Diverse Communities

OLLU’s Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program makes cultural competency a cornerstone of its training. The program’s mission explicitly commits to preparing graduates to work with diverse, underserved populations in culturally competent ways.

As a historically Hispanic-Serving Institution, OLLU draws on its deep roots in the local community while embracing students and clients from all walks of life. Faculty are experienced in multicultural clinical practice, and coursework integrates cultural perspectives into the study of systemic therapy.

This emphasis isn’t limited to the classroom. OLLU students have the opportunity to complete clinical hours in settings that serve a wide range of populations, allowing them to practice their skills in real-world contexts.

 

What Students Learn: Cultural Humility in Action

Foundational to the MFT Program, students are expected to demonstrate respect for client diversity and to practice with cultural humility. The program teaches students to:

• Explore their cultural assumptions and biases.
• Understand how systemic oppression and marginalization impact mental health.
• And adapt therapeutic approaches to the cultural norms and values of clients.

This training equips students to work effectively with individuals, couples, and families from a variety of racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, making them invaluable in clinical settings nationwide.

 

The OLLU Difference: Preparing You for a Diverse World

What sets OLLU apart from other universities is its intentional focus on diversity and inclusion, grounded in its identity as an HSI and its mission of service. Students in the MFT and counseling programs don’t just learn cultural competency as an abstract concept— they live it throughout their training.

Graduates leave OLLU ready to provide sensitive, ethical care that acknowledges and affirms the identities of their clients. In a field where trust is everything, that preparation can make all the difference.

Join a Program That Values Helping Others as Much as You Do

If you’re drawn to a career as an LPCC or LMFT because you want to help people, including those from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds, feel heard, understood, and supported with access to the care they deserve, OLLU’s counseling and family therapy programs are for you. Here, you’ll develop the skills, awareness, and confidence to provide culturally competent care in any community.

At Our Lady of the Lake University, you won’t just earn a degree — you’ll prepare to make a real difference in a diverse world.

Learn more and apply today.