[1]” Cultural humility is different from other culturally-based training ideals because it focuses on self-humility rather than being an other-directed "they/them" way of achieving a state of knowledge or awareness.
[4] Cultural humility is a term coined by Melanie Tervalon and Jann Murray-Garcia in 1998 to describe a way of incorporating multiculturalism into their work as healthcare professionals.
Tervalon and Murray-Garcia believed that health care professionals were not receiving appropriate education or training in terms of multiculturalism, and developed a new method of approaching the topic.
[9] Those who practice cultural humility view their clients as capable and work to understand their worldview and any oppression or discrimination that they may have experienced as well[8] In terms of the workplace of a social worker, supervisors should try to help workers to: Cultural humility is a tool that can be utilized by both macro (community organizing, social policy, evaluation, management) and micro (therapy, interpersonal) to better connect with individuals and communities as well as to gain more insight into personal biases and identities.
[13] Occupational therapy practitioners strive to treat all people impartially, reduce bias, create diverse communities in which members can flourish and function, address conditions that hinder or cause harm to others, and protect and defend the rights of individuals.
[15] The AOTA (2015) [15] Code of Ethics states that practitioners should “advocate for changes to systems and policies that are discriminatory or unfairly limit or prevent access to occupational therapy services”.
The profession of occupational therapy is resolute in its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for its student bodies, workforce, and client populations and to advocacy for policies that lead to stronger, healthier, and more engaged communities.