Art Therapy and Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding Dignity, Honour, and Victim Cultures

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

As art therapists, we work with people who bring not only their personal stories but also the cultural values and collective memories that shape their worldview. Understanding the cultural context of a client can help us create a more attuned, safe, and respectful space for self-expression.

Social and cultural researchers describe three main cultural frameworks related to how societies understand honour, dignity, and victimhood. These cultural models influence the way people perceive themselves, relate to others, and respond to emotional experiences.

🌿 1. Dignity Cultures

Examples: USA, Canada, Northern Europe, AustraliaIn dignity cultures, self-worth is seen as inherent and independent of other people’s opinions. Each person is viewed as having equal rights and inner value, regardless of status, gender, or background.

🔹 Therapeutic approach:Clients from these cultures often value autonomy, equality, and authenticity. They may be comfortable discussing emotions and personal challenges directly.An art therapist can support this by emphasising individual expression, choice, and empowerment — for example, inviting clients to explore their sense of identity and personal values through abstract compositions or symbolic self-portraits.

🔥 2. Honour Cultures

Examples: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, and South Asian countriesIn honour cultures, reputation and social standing play a central role. One’s worth depends largely on how others perceive them. Defending one’s honour — or that of the family — becomes a moral duty.

🔹 Therapeutic approach:Clients may avoid showing emotional vulnerability, as it could be perceived as weakness or loss of face.In this case, the art therapist’s role is to build trust and mutual respect, allowing creative work to unfold within a context that honours strength, loyalty, and belonging.Themes like family heritage, ancestral symbols, or protective images may help clients express their emotions safely while maintaining dignity.

For instance, creating a symbolic “family shield” or “coat of honour” in mixed media can become a way to explore identity, protection, and emotional resilience.

💧 3. Victim Cultures

Examples: Societies shaped by historical trauma, colonisation, or war — such as post-Soviet regions, Armenia, or IsraelIn these cultures, a shared memory of suffering becomes part of collective identity. The narrative of injustice and endurance binds people together and often informs their sense of meaning.

🔹 Therapeutic approach:Clients from such backgrounds may carry transgenerational trauma, collective grief, or a deep longing for recognition and justice.Art therapists can offer a trauma-informed practice, gently supporting the process of externalising pain through visual form — without forcing disclosure or re-traumatisation.Symbolic and nature-based imagery (like “gardens of healing” or “rivers of memory”) can help clients reconnect with resilience and hope.

🪞 Reflections for the Therapist

Cultural awareness begins with self-awareness. Each therapist carries their own cultural lens that shapes perception and interpretation.

For example:

• A therapist from a dignity culture might unconsciously expect openness or individualism, which could feel unsafe for a client from an honour background.

• A therapist with personal ties to a victim culture might deeply resonate with a client’s pain, which can enhance empathy — but may also blur boundaries if not recognised.

Being mindful of these dynamics allows art therapists to stay grounded, curious, and compassionate, using art as a bridge between cultures rather than as a neutral tool.