In a world that’s keen on spotlighting differences, there’s solace in our ability to connect with each other in ways that foster deep psychological healing. We can happen on such encounters through chance or practice, with kin or strangers, friends or therapists. It’s particularly poignant when a warm and safe holding environment that often heralds any healing emerges between people who, at first glance, are very dissimilar.

For psychotherapist Doris Chang, every therapeutic relationship is a cross-cultural one, given each party’s unique constellation of cultural identities and lived experiences. Efforts to bridge those differences are aided by two resources: 1) cultural intelligence and its relevant competencies, and 2) the ability to show up with curiosity and kindness for others.

Here are six questions with Dr. Chang on nurturing connections despite our differences.

Marina Pogosyan: What are the key elements of successful cross-cultural psychotherapy?

Doris Chang: Effective cross-cultural psychotherapy comes down to balancing three things.

First—being self-aware of my worldviews that stem from my culture and my experiences, and how they show up in my perceptions and interactions with my patients. That’s my filter through which I receive the person and interpret their verbal and nonverbal communication. Self-awareness allows me to hold this filter, along with its biases, lightly.

Second—having content knowledge. A general understanding of what it means to live in my patient’s cultural world will allow me to gain key insights into the person’s experience. It means knowing something about the way that society is structured, how power is distributed, and where the person likely falls within that power structure. These variables will shape the likelihood of the person having experienced trauma or being elevated in their society.

Third—the ability to cultivate a connection with another person. That means being curious, receptive, compassionate, and having empathy. These........

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