As we move into a new cultural landscape in this country and begin to delve into the infinite ways that culture impacts every facet of our existence, it will be important that we challenge professional psychologists to transcend all historical and tradi- tional barriers. Furthermore, culturally responsive practice needs to remain central in all that we do. Should we stalemate applied psychology’s progress, we will continue to leave the most im- pacted in our society underserved and in need. Reflecting on the relationship between ethics in psychology and the practice of culturally responsive care creates a number of intriguing dialogues and, for some, dilemmas. Our greatest dilemma as practitioners is that we have not placed our desire to be culturally responsive at the outset of all that we do. In failing to do so, we continue to create internal dilemmas for the practice of psychology with all popula- tions. While the clinical foundations that underlie the conceptual and therapeutic models remain critical to the practice of psychol- ogy, they must do a better job of including the core cultural foundations discussed in this article. While this article has only scratched the surface, it has outlined some larger conceptual issues that capture some of the “dilemmas” within an ethical and multicultural framework. As we continue to advance in these areas and continue to synthesize our efforts in concert with one another, it will be important that we be intentional about our dialogue and active in our pursuit to become culturally responsive psychologists in a diverse world.
The invited expert commentaries that follow provide more spe- cific examples of many of the issues raised in this article. The authors add their professional and personal perspectives and ex- periences on how to negotiate being a culturally responsive prac- titioner within an ethical framework. Additionally, the invited experts provide examples of the multiple dimensions of culture and its manifestation therapeutically. Their intentional focus and attention to potential challenges that present within a therapeutic context, while addressing culture as a central feature, contribute to our understanding and progress on this essential topic.