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Abstract

The purpose of the present study is twofold: first, to explore the bilingual therapist's experience of working in a second language; and second, to explore the major functions of language within the therapeutic setting. Interpretative phenomenological analysis is used to explore in depth the experience of 16 bilingual therapists of different professional orientations: psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, counselling psychologists, clinical psychologists and counsellors. Semi-structured life-world interviews were employed in accordance with the exploratory nature of the research. Four major themes were identified: ‘Listening and understanding the client’; ‘Interventions and interpretations’; ‘Potential impact of language on the therapeutic encounter: Therapist's point of view’; and ‘Therapist's experience of self’. The data demonstrated differences in the understanding of functions of language within the therapeutic setting among psychotherapists. The importance of the symbolic functions of language in therapeutic discourse is discussed. In addition, the specifics of language within the therapeutic encounter are explored and outlined.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Gulina, M. and Dobrolioubova, V. (2018), One Language and Two Mother Tongues in the Consulting Room: Dilemmas of a Bilingual Psychotherapist. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 34: 3-24., which has been published in final form athttps://doi.org/10.1111/bjp.12350. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.
Publisher Keywords:	Bilingualism, clinical practice, culture,language, psychotherapy, qualitative research,symbolical meaning of language
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Psychology
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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