Beyond Cultural Competency | Lived Experience, Healing, and Social Work with Niketa Pechan, LCSW

In episode 76 of The Critical Social Worker: A Revolutionary Storytelling Podcast, Professor Ace (Christian “Ace” Stettler) and co-host Christie Robinson sit down with Niketa Pechan, LCSW for a wide-ranging conversation on cultural identity, historical trauma, and what social work misses when it reduces people to frameworks.We talk land preservation, language as power, and why culture is not an “add-on” to practice but a living relationship to place, lineage, and community. Niketa also speaks on disconnection in the digital age, heart-centered facilitation, and how social workers can cultivate real-world grounding and healing. Later, we move into maternal wellness, including advocacy, doulas, and how birth experiences can shape families for life.🌍 Visit: https://RevolutionarySocialWork.com📩 Connect + collaborate: [email protected] Niketa PechanNiketa C. Pechan, LCSW is a holistic psychotherapist and the founder of NurtureRise Global, supporting workplace wellness and trauma-informed practice. She specializes in supporting women and mothers navigating birth trauma, postpartum challenges, miscarriage/loss, and life transitions. Niketa integrates mind-body-spirit approaches, and brings extensive experience across mental health, education, and advocacy.Chapters 00:00:00 Theme song + intro00:01:31 Navigating Technical Difficulties00:02:33 Cultural Connections and Identity00:04:57 Land Preservation and Technology00:07:28 The African Diaspora and Identity00:10:19 Rastafarianism and Cultural Upliftment00:13:06 Language as a Lens of Identity00:15:54 Intergenerational Trauma and Social Work00:18:27 Cultural Heritage and Mental Health00:23:13 Understanding Racial Narratives and Immigrant Experiences00:24:46 Cultural Competency in Social Work00:26:56 The Importance of Lived Experience in Therapy00:28:57 Navigating Identity and Community in Social Work00:31:07 The Role of Empathy in Social Work00:36:06 Heart-Centered Facilitation in Social Work00:46:15 Disconnecting from Digital Life for Real Connections00:52:23 The Future of Social Work and Technology00:54:00 Revolutionizing Birth Experiences00:54:52 The Importance of Doulas and Advocacy01:00:22 Addressing Racial Disparities in Maternal Health01:04:01 The Role of Social Workers in Birth Work01:08:23 Reimagining Social Work Opportunities01:13:49 Closing Thoughts and Reflections#SocialWork #CriticalSocialWork #RevolutionarySocialWork #CulturalIdentity #HistoricalTrauma #Healing #LandBack #LanguagePreservation #MaternalHealth #Doula© UAF Social Work