Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2025

34 • Massage Therapy Journal

C ommunication is a process that involves worth of the receiver of the message—regardless of cultural background—and this is best achieved through learning about and achieving cultural competence. Cultural competence is a skill set used to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds in a way that is sensitive to those differences as you provide quality client care. sending and receiving messages. Professional communications should always affirm the inherent

Cultural competence does not happen by accident; it takes desire and commitment. Cultural competence does not happen overnight; it is a process. Cultural competence demands a willingness to learn, to take risks, to sit with uncertainty and discomfort, and to not have quick solutions or easy answers. Cultural competence also involves building trust and a nurturing frame of reference that considers the perspective of people of all cultures. Cultural competence does not stand apart from, but is fundamental to, good professional practice. Its threads are woven into the tapestry of everything we do, from assessment to treatment planning to delivery of services. We all have prejudices and beliefs that may hinder cultural competence. Professionals must be vigilant in curbing a tone of voice or body language that might demonstrate cultural incompetence. Examples of common issues that may arise include the appropriateness of eye contact and handshakes, or the need to include spouses and/ or family members in decision-making. Massage therapists do not need to know everything or be perfect, but we do need to demonstrate cultural competence when interacting with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds within our communities. This course will first discuss national cultures, then organizational cultures, and then microcultures, including the LGBTQIA+ community, all within the context of Because the word culture has several meanings and connotations, we need to start by defining what we mean. For the purposes of this course, we will be exploring the definition according to the current preeminent scholar in culture studies, Dutch social psychologist Geert Hofstede (more about him later). This is not to adopt Hofstede’s taxonomy of culture as the only correct one, but to give us a place to start the conversation. In his Cultural Dimensions Theory, Hofstede defines culture as the “programming of the human mind by which one group of people distinguishes cultural competence. What Is Culture?

Cultural competence is especially important in the massage profession because of power differential, with clients in the less powerful, or vulnerable, position. They are vulnerable because they need help managing pain and stress, along with other sought outcomes, such as improved function. Cultural competence also extends to professional interactions with colleagues and allied professionals. Population data show that the United States and Canada are diversifying at much faster rates than originally predicted. 1, 2 The ability to interact and communicate with people whose primary language is not English and who may have limited English-speaking skills is more important than ever before. But increasing access and improving experiences with massage therapy for these populations is not enough. Massage therapists must also be aware of how a person’s culture might impact communication, expectations and the delivery of services.

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