This chapter of the book describes the sensitivity and awareness needed to work with those with differing backgrounds. This sensitivity and awareness apply as much to the supervisor’s culture and cultural assumptions as it does to others.

Cultural differences are the “different explicit and implicit assumptions and values that influence the behaviour and social artifacts of different groups” (Herskovitz, 1948). Cultural affects what and how individuals think, though cultural assumptions may influence the latter. In the supervisory relationship, acknowledging and honouring cultural diversity means:

“not only a willingness to encourage and explore the difference in the supervisee/client relationship, but also an openness to our own cultural assumptions and our relationship with our supervisees. Those who are ‘white’ need also be aware of the power and privilege that this affords to them (Ryde, 2009)” (113).

Peter Hawkins & Robin Shohet, Supervision in the Helping Professions (England: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press, 2012) ch 8, “Working with Difference – Transcultural Supervision.”