Why Cultural Humility Matters in EMDR

“To be a culturally competent therapist is to be a human first—curious, aware, humble, and willing to grow.”

In this powerful episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, Jen Savage sits down with EMDR therapist, author, and cultural competence advocate Mark Nickerson, LICSW for a rich and timely conversation about what it really means to bring cultural responsiveness into our clinical work.

This episode invites clinicians to think beyond checkboxes and intake forms—and to reflect on how their personal stories, social identities, and cultural histories shape the therapy they provide. Together, Jen and Mark explore how EMDR can help process both internalized oppression and social bias, and how the work of healing requires an ongoing willingness to look inward.

“Cultural humility isn’t an add-on—it’s at the heart of any real change.”

— Mark Nickerson, LICSW

Why This Conversation Matters

Therapists often long to be affirming, inclusive, and aware—but aren’t sure where to begin. Mark’s insights offer both practical steps and deep philosophical grounding. His perspective is shaped by decades of clinical work, social advocacy, and a commitment to human rights.

He shares stories from early workshops where EMDR was used to process two core themes:

1. A memory of being excluded or discriminated against
2. A memory of holding bias or participating in exclusion

In both cases, EMDR offered clarity, healing, and increased self-awareness—making space for deeper empathy and greater readiness to grow.

Featured Topics:

• What it means to do your own cultural work as a therapist
• How identity, privilege, and power dynamics shape the therapy process
• Using EMDR to target internalized oppression and social bias
• Legacy trauma, intergenerational pain, and cultural narratives
• How cultural humility invites us into lifelong self-examination
• Why EMDR is well-suited to address culturally based trauma—when practiced with awareness

About the Book

Mark is the editor and contributing author of the seminal book

Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy (2nd ed., 2023).

Spanning more than 400 pages, the book includes seven chapters by Mark and 20 more by authors with diverse identities, backgrounds, and clinical expertise. It addresses racial trauma, immigration and asylum seeking, social class, systemic oppression, and cultural adaptations of EMDR around the world.

Whether you read it cover-to-cover or use it as a chapter-by-chapter resource, it’s an essential tool for therapists seeking to deepen their work.

📘 Learn more about the book and Mark’s work at: markinickerson.com

Want to Go Even Deeper?

If this conversation stirred something in you—if you’re beginning to ask how your own story shows up in the therapy room—consider exploring the Somatic Integration and Processing (SIP) framework.

SIP isn’t a replacement for EMDR. It’s a lens that helps therapists explore the worldview they bring into their work. It asks:

• Why do I respond this way in session?
• What does safety mean to me?
• What am I unconsciously avoiding?

SIP helps therapists do their own work—by mapping how our nervous systems, identities, and histories shape our therapeutic presence.

📥 Want to explore it for yourself?

Comment “mirror” on our Instagram page or visit connectbeyondhealing.com and search “SIP” to receive a free PDF chapter on the SIP model.

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