Multilingualism in Therapy: A Qualitative Study on the Work of Multilingual Psychotherapists

The challenges and advantages of speaking in another language are seen in everyday life. But when it comes to health treatment, the use of language is key to guaranteeing proper care. In mental health services, it is no different, language use can be a barrier to treatment or it can be the catalyst of it. Inspired by this complexity, this thesis investigates the influence of multilingualism in the psychotherapeutic work. It focuses on the importance of language in affective processing, code-switching, therapeutic alliance, and therapeutic process. Previous studies have established how language enables cognitive distancing, allowing patients to discuss difficult topics with reduced emotionality while fostering an identity reconstruction. Pivoted by the point of view of the psychotherapist, the study was structured through the qualitative methodology and followed the approach of data collection through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings underlined the importance of cultural and linguistic sensitivity in clinical settings, featuring that attunement to patients' language choices can establish stronger therapeutic alliances and enhance treatment outcomes.