Cultural Humility: Considerations for Training School Psychologists of Color

Abstract

This article explores the complexities of practicing cultural humility as a school psychologist of color, highlighting both barriers and opportunities inherent in this work. Traditionally, school psychologists have been expected to engage in culturally responsive practices, which are rooted in cultural competency framework. However, to effectively diversify the field of school psychology and ensure practitioners are prepared to support diverse students, cultural humility—defined as a lifelong process of self-reflection, learning, and maintaining an “other-oriented” perspective—must be integrated as a foundational and dynamic framework for all training and supervision. While much of the literature emphasizes the practice of cultural humility by White practitioners working with racially and ethnically minoritized groups, limited research addresses how school psychologists of color can and should engage in this practice. Given the unique challenges faced by school psychologists of color, including experiences of race-based stress, cultural taxation, and navigating systematic racism, adopting the same approaches as White school psychologists may be inadequate or even harmful. Drawing from the lived experiences of the authors, both women of color, the article presents practical case studies in the form of testimonios and offers actionable recommendations for school psychologists of color and those who train and support them. In doing so, it aims to promote more nuanced, equitable, and sustainable approaches for fostering cultural humility in the field of school psychology.