Training Overview: 

This interactive session will explore cultural competency through embodied and somatic practices that deepen self-awareness and cultural humility. Participants will be invited to move beyond intellectual discussions of identity and diversity by exploring how culture, social location, bias, privilege, and discomfort are experienced and expressed within the body. Through guided reflection and experiential exercises, participants will develop greater awareness of their own cultural identities, embodied responses to difference, and the ways nervous system reactions can influence interpersonal and professional interactions. The session aims to increase curiosity and capacity to remain present and engaged in conversations about culture, equity, and inclusion. 

Facilitator: Dhwani Joshi, MSW, RSW:

Dhwani brings specialized experience in trauma and addictions across community, hospital, and international settings to her work. She has worked extensively in outpatient mental health programs, where she has helped develop and pilot group-based interventions for individuals with substance use concerns, including Seeking Safety and harm-reduction programming grounded in DBT and CBT principles. Dhwani’s work is rooted in culturally responsive and trauma-informed care, with a strong commitment to supporting clients through approaches that honour their identities, histories, and lived experiences. Dhwani brings a strong passion for body-based approaches to healing, and her international experiences of volunteering in Nicaragua and completing her MSW placement in Beijing have gifted her a unique perspective on how addictions, mental health, and trauma are understood across cultures. She is committed to honouring clients’ identities, histories, and lived experiences.

Learn More: Cultural Competency Through a Mind-Body Lens: An Experiential Approach

Registration: SWAA Members register from the Member Portal(Login required), Website (Non-members)