Navigating Between Two Worlds: Cultural Dissonance in Social Services

Social services work inevitably challenge workers’ values directly and personally. The nature of the work often brings you face-to-face with ethical dilemmas, cultural complexity, and systemic inequities that can challenge your beliefs and assumptions.

As a social service worker, you may need to balance the expectations of your organization with your own personal and cultural values. This can be especially challenging when you come from a diverse cultural background which may result in you experiencing cultural dissonance. This conflict arises when you’re navigating between different cultural norms, beliefs, or values.¹ For instance, while Western frameworks often approach mental health from a clinical standpoint, other cultures may interpret mental well-being through spiritual or communal lenses.

These differences can create tension in how trauma-informed care is practiced. If you were raised in a culture that views substance, use as a personal failing, you might unintentionally bring that perspective into your practice. This may conflict with organizational values that frame substance use as a coping response. As a result, you may find it difficult to align your cultural understanding with professional expectations, which can impact your interactions with both community members and your colleagues.

For social service workers who are immigrants, refugees, or from Indigenous communities, the feeling of being removed from one’s cultural environment, known as cultural dislocation, can significantly affect both personal identity and professional practice.² This can lead to acculturative stress, or the emotional strain that comes with adapting to a dominant culture while trying to hold onto your own.³ 

If you’re an immigrant, refugee, or Indigenous worker, you may feel like you’re constantly walking a tightrope of trying to honor your cultural identity while adapting to an organizational culture that may not fully understand or reflect it. Over time, this balancing act can lead to identity confusion, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of not quite belonging. Familiar roles and social norms may start to feel blurred, and you might begin to question how much of your cultural self you’re allowed to bring into your professional role. 

Despite these challenges, your experience of living between cultures can be a powerful source of strength. You bring valuable insight into client care particularly for those who share your cultural background. Your unique perspective helps community members feel seen, heard, and understood. In this way, your lived experience plays an important role in creating a more inclusive and responsive environment for everyone. 

Take time to explore what your culture means to you. Reflect on your cultural traditions, values, teachings, and spirituality. Remember, adapting to a new country or working within a different system doesn’t mean you have to leave your cultural identity behind. Your background is not just part of your story; it’s a source of strength. 

Be mindful of how dominant cultural values may have influenced your thinking, even about your own culture. Cultural humility means recognizing and questioning internalized messages about which cultures are seen as “better” or more “professional.” When you understand your own biases, you’re better equipped to respect and navigate the values of both your culture and others without judgment. This also helps bridge multiple values systems with compassion and curiosity.  

Don’t be afraid to bring your culture into the workplace. Share your perspectives with colleagues and ask questions about organizational norms, rather than accepting them at face value. Conversations like these can deepen understanding and help shape more inclusive approaches to client care. When you share how your culture views certain behaviors or practices, you help build bridges, not just between people, but also different ways of thinking. In this way, you’re also promoting mutual learning and fostering a workplace culture that values diversity rather than simply tolerating it. Download our Practical Ways to Share Your Culture in the Workplace reference guide for tips. 

Honouring your cultural identity is more than a personal act; it’s a professional contribution. As the field of social services evolves to address systemic inequities and embrace diversity, your voice matters. You don’t just exist between two worlds: you help connect them. In doing so, you create space for a more inclusive, compassionate, and culturally responsive future.