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This past weekend, I had the privilege of presenting at the Oregon Counseling Association’s annual conference. My session focused on cultural effectiveness training, and I was thrilled to see about 100 therapists and counselors in attendance. The positive feedback was deeply encouraging, but as often happens, I left reflecting on aspects of the presentation I didn’t get to cover. In particular, I started thinking about the slides I skipped and how they might have deepened the experience for participants.

One of the central concepts I shared was the SIFT and COAL technique by Dr. Dan Siegel. This technique invites us to scan our bodies for Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts (SIFT) while adopting a Curious, Open, Accepting, and Loving (COAL) mindset. During the session, I guided participants through this process, asking them to observe their nervous system’s responses to various cultural images. The goal was to help them connect with their internal experiences and identify the reactions arising from deep within.

But there was one slide I didn’t get to share, and it’s been on my mind ever since. It addressed the anatomy of a memory, which, like the SIFT technique, involves sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. As I thought about how memory operates, it sparked a larger question:

What is the anatomy of a bias?

When we talk about bias, it often feels like an abstract or generalized concept. But what if we deconstructed it? What if biases are simply sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts that arise in our bodies and minds in response to cultural stimuli? Could breaking biases into these components give us a clearer path to understanding and addressing them?

Deconstructing Bias

In cultural effectiveness training, one of my goals is to help participants become attuned to their nervous systems and recognize the subtle, automatic ways bias manifests. For instance, when therapists encounter a client from a background different from their own, they might experience a sensation—perhaps a tightening in the chest or a knot in the stomach. They might have an image or stereotype flash through their mind or feel a sudden emotion like discomfort or fear. These reactions are not always conscious, but they are data. They are our nervous system’s way of processing cultural stimuli, often shaped by past experiences and social conditioning.

The challenge lies in noticing these reactions and understanding their origins. If we aren’t aware of them, they remain unexamined and can influence how we engage with others. By tuning into our nervous systems, we can identify these biases and work to respond with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment or avoidance.

Bias in the Therapy Room

This work is especially critical in therapy. When a client walks into our office, we bring our entire selves into that space—our histories, assumptions, and yes, our biases. These biases don’t necessarily mean we’re doing harm, but they can shape our ability to connect. For example, a therapist might think, “I’m not the right counselor for this person,” or feel an inexplicable tension when interacting with a client from a specific group. Recognizing these reactions as biases doesn’t mean we’re bad or incapable—it means we’re human.

The key is learning to access the data our nervous systems provide. When we feel a strong sensation, image, emotion, or thought in response to a client, we can pause, name it, and explore it. This process helps us separate ourselves from our reactions, making space for a more intentional and inclusive presence.

Teaching Clients to Tune In

This approach doesn’t just apply to therapists. Many clients struggle to articulate what’s happening in their own bodies. When I ask clients to describe their nervous systems, the response is often, “I don’t know.” If we can’t describe our nervous systems, we’re essentially at their mercy, reacting unconsciously rather than responding mindfully.

Helping clients learn to name their sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts empowers them to better understand their experiences. For example, if a client feels uneasy in a particular situation, we can guide them to explore what that unease feels like in their body. Is it a heaviness in their chest? A buzzing in their head? What images or memories come to mind? By breaking down their reactions, they gain clarity and control over their responses.

Building Inclusivity Through Awareness

Bias often gets a bad rap, but it’s not inherently negative—it’s simply a part of how our brains process information. The problem arises when biases remain unexamined, influencing our decisions and interactions in ways we don’t understand. By using tools like SIFT and COAL and focusing on the nervous system’s role in bias, we can bring these unconscious reactions into the light.

This practice isn’t just about reducing harm; it’s about fostering connection. When we can name our biases and understand their roots, we create space for growth. We become better therapists, colleagues, and community members. And perhaps most importantly, we model for others what it means to approach difference with curiosity, openness, and love.

As I reflect on the Oregon Counseling Association conference, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share this work. One participant reached out afterward to express how the training helped them uncover biases they hadn’t been aware of. They described how learning to connect with their nervous system brought new awareness to their interactions, allowing them to show up more mindfully with their clients.

This is the work that excites me most—not just naming biases but transforming our relationship with them. By tuning into our bodies and minds, we can create a more inclusive world, one interaction at a time.

What about you? Have you ever paused to reflect on how your nervous system reacts to cultural stimuli? What might your sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts reveal about the biases you hold? Let’s start the conversation and build a practice of mindful, inclusive awareness—together.