When I became a therapist, I made a vow to dedicate myself to becoming a “lifelong learner.” This vow requires that I continually work on expanding my knowledge and skill set as a counselor, especially when working with individuals who have diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Throughout my years of experience and training, the one thing that I am certain of is that human beings do not exist in a vacuum.  Who we are and how we respond to the world around us, is a result of the many different identities we each hold as individuals. Therefore, since every individual’s culture and outlook on life is unique, I take time to understand how each of my clients conceptualize their worldview and what it means to them to be a part of their different identity groups. In addition to exploring my clients’ cultural history, I also recognize the importance of continuing to explore my own biases and cultural background in order to enhance my awareness when working with clients whose culture, sexual orientation, ethnicity and race may be different from my own.