The C.U.L.T.U.R.E.
Framework
The C.U.L.T.U.R.E. Framework is an AfriDiasporic, equity-driven, and healing-centered model that blends clinical evidence with Black cultural wisdom. It transforms mental health care, leadership, and research for Black individuals through an anti-racist, healing-centered lens (Edwards, 2025).
- 01Honour Black cultural identity and collective well-being
- 02Apply racial trauma-informed care to address the impact of racism
- 03Emphasize systemic advocacy to dismantle institutional barriers and promote equity in mental health services
Principles in Detail
Apply to Every Analysis
I
Who is at the table?
Who holds decision-making power in mental health, leadership, or policy spaces? Are Black professionals, community members, and clients actively shaping conversations?
II
Who is missing?
What perspectives, cultural practices, and lived experiences are absent? Are Black-centered, AfriDiasporic, faith-based, or racial trauma-informed approaches considered?
III
What is at stake?
How does exclusion impact trust, mental health outcomes, and service accessibility? What happens if biases and systemic barriers remain unchallenged?
These questions don’t just live in theory — they become concrete therapeutic actions. Is the family being treated as co-healers or obstacles? How do you broach these reflections with your client? What therapeutic moves emerge?
© Shanique Victoria Edwards. The C.U.L.T.U.R.E. Framework: A Model for Culturally Competent and Equity-Driven Mental Health Care. This content is shared for educational purposes and to provide culturally-affirming clinical guidance. May not be reproduced, distributed, or used in any setting without explicit permission.