Clarity about how to clinically approach client statements that are inflammatory and/or offensive to their therapist, and also how to approach it when the therapist's actions are hurtful to their client(s)

This course features compensated expert clinician Lambers Fisher, LMFT

Interview-style, with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT

  • Course Description

    Cultural competence is not just about race and ethnicity… what’s an appropriate response when a therapist is deeply offended or affected by a client’s viewpoint or values? It’s critical that clinicians have appropriate tools to help them manage cultural offenses, both when the client offends the therapist, AND when the therapist offends the client. This interview provides strategies for increasing personal and professional cultural competence, and sheds light on the challenging clinical phenomenon of holding different cultural values and views than our clients by offering systems-based perspectives and interventions.

    This is an eye-opening and focusing training you can’t miss, regardless of your values, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, religion, etc.

  • Learning Objectives

    Upon completing this course, participants will be able to: Explain how clinicians can manage their countertransference when working with clients who have conflicting belief systems and values; Describe an intervention for use in response to statements by clients that are inflammatory or offensive to the therapist; Outline an appropriate response when the therapist has committed a cultural offense


    Target Audience and Instructional Level
    This course is intended for psychologists, therapists, social workers, clinical counselors, and addiction counselors. Instructional level: Introductory & Intermediate

  • How To Take This Course

    In order to receive a certificate of completion reflecting the associated CE credit hour, you must:
    #1: Have an active paid Clearly Clinical membership
    #2: Listen to the corresponding course podcast
    #3: Achieve a passing grade on the post-presentation test (the test has up to ten questions and you must earn a score of at least 80%; you are able to re-test)
    #4: Complete the requested course evaluation.

    Course elements (including the course audio, post-test, and requested course evaluation) can be completed on a computer or mobile device via your Clearly Clinical account.

  • Course Format

    This high-quality and interesting course contains a one-hour, non-interactive audio podcast presentation which is available for free via all major public podcast providers. You can also listen to and download the file via our course player.

  • Commercial Support

    There is no known commercial support or conflict of interest for this CE program, content, sponsor, or instructor.

  • Certificate Access Details

    Once you've completed the course, your certificate will automatically populate in the 'Certificate' section of your account; it will also be emailed to you. Access to completion certificate will expire 365 days after issuance. Course certificates will be on file for ten (10) years from date of course completion.

  • Course Access Expiration

    Please note that you will have access to this free course for 30 days from when you sign up. If your access lapses, you are able to re-enroll.

  • Accommodations

    If you have special needs or need an accommodation, please email us at info@clearlyclinical.com and we will do our best to assist you.

What Your Colleagues Have to Say About This Course

Vital Info for a moving target

Kayleigh Clark

We’ve all left conferences feeling as if we just wasted our time. I sat at home and gained so much knowledge from this podcast and even gained a CEU credit. Grateful for this organization

We’ve all left conferences feeling as if we just wasted our time. I sat at home and gained so much knowledge from this podcast and even gained a CEU credit. Grateful for this organization

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This is something every therapist needs to know more about

Lacey Alvarez

I have struggled with this in the past. Somehow, I always get far-right or Evangelical Christian families to work with, which is very far from my values. I haven't had to work with a police officer yet, but I've had to work with clients who said t...

Read More

I have struggled with this in the past. Somehow, I always get far-right or Evangelical Christian families to work with, which is very far from my values. I haven't had to work with a police officer yet, but I've had to work with clients who said that "Blue Lives Matter." I felt like this was explained in a way that could help people address issues like this within the professional context, without getting fired. It can also plant seeds in people with hateful views and possibly expand their perspectives. It was painful to hear the question that the speaker was asked. However, the way this question was handled was skillful beyond anything I could've come up with. I had to take a deep breath after I heard that question secondhand. I need to remind myself that what I am angry with is the system and not usually the individual. Revolution comes through organized action, not just telling people that their dearly held beliefs are wrong.

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Interviewee & Interviewer

Lambers Fisher, LMFT, MDiv

Cultural Diversity Expert

Lambers Fisher is a licensed marriage and family therapist, clinical supervisor, adjunct instructor, and national speaker on the topic of multicultural awareness and diversity. For over 18 years, Lambers has counseled individuals, couples, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds, in private practice, non-profit, as well as ministry environments. Lambers’ Diversity Made Simple training has helped thousands of professionals around the country increase their cultural competence and strengthen cross-cultural relationships. Lambers helps professionals in various fields feel more comfortable, competent, and confident in their ability meet the needs of whomever they have the opportunity to serve. Visit him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Check out his book Diversity in Clinical Practice: A Practical & Shame-Free Guide to Reducing Cultural Offenses & Repairing Cross-Cultural Relationships on Amazon.

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias, MS, LMFT

Interviewer & Clearly Clinical Founder

Elizabeth 'Beth' Irias (she/her) is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and the Founder and President of Clearly Clinical. She has specializations in Clinical Documentation, Best Practice, and Utilization Review, and works closely with clinical teams across the US as a trainer and national conference presenter; Beth was formerly an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University in the Graduate Psychology and Education department. Licensed in California and Oregon, she provides therapy via her private practice to young adult and adult clients, members of the LGBTQ population, and those with addictive disorders. She has two young children, a super cool spouse who helps out with Clearly Clinical's tech, and a rescue dog.

See why we're the country's premier CE provider

Check out our free CE courses HERE.

  • CONVENIENT: All courses are 1-hour podcast episodes, available on all public podcast platforms

  • AFFORDABLE: We offer quality CE courses through a reasonably-priced membership

  • SOCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE: We donate to The Trevor Project for LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention

  • WOMEN-OWNED: We are founded and run by Elizabeth Irias, LMFT

  • DIVERSE: We highlight expert presenters from historically-marginalized communities

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