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Key points
- For some people, language can be a barrier to accessing helpful therapy.
- A counselor who is bilingual can bridge the gap and increase the client's comfort level.
- Language can be a valuable tool in therapy sessions, enabling a strong rapport and easing breakthroughs.
A therapist or counselor can be of any ethnic background or language of origin to help a client manage their mental health concerns. However, there are some distinct benefits to being able to converse with a client in their dominant language and to having some understanding of their culture.
Greater Access to Therapy
The process of finding a mental health professional, to say nothing of figuring out insurance, in a secondary language can be a major barrier to getting help. A bilingual counselor or practice can help guide clients through the process. Finding a bilingual therapist is immeasurably helped by searching for a therapist online. Individuals can tailor their search to find counselors with specific skills, such as being bilingual, or who serve specific communities or address specific needs.
Stronger Therapeutic Alliance
Clients whose native language is not English are often more confident in therapy sessions when they can move between languages, also known as “code-switching,” at will. They may feel better able to share more about their background and day-to-day experiences. They often feel more in touch with their identity, which can enhance the development of the therapist-client bond, speed communication, and generally facilitate the process of therapy.
From a counselor’s perspective, being able to converse in multiple languages with a client can help build trust and rapport. Bilingual clients may find it difficult to fully describe their concerns in a secondary language and may be able to discuss them more accurately and honestly in their primary language, allowing bilingual counselors to gain more information and a deeper understanding of their clients. Such information allows a bilingual counselor to provide nuanced advice and treatment.
Better Therapeutic Outcomes
There is always some risk that a client will discontinue therapy before getting all the help they need. Barriers to communication and misunderstandings based on language and culture only serve to increase that possibility. Having a bilingual counselor can increase the likelihood of good long-term outcomes.
Language as an Effective Therapy Tool
Bilingual counselors can learn a lot about a client by observing the way they switch back and forth between languages. In general, bilingual clients will get more animated and willing to be vulnerable when speaking their dominant language. Sometimes the use of words from their native language can help clients capture difficult emotions or a feeling that has no direct translation into English.
The choice of language can also have a powerful impact when clients are opening up about past trauma. Some clients may find it easier to talk about a distressing memory in their secondary language because it helps put some distance between them and the pain of reliving their experience. In such cases, switching languages can be a form of self-protection, particularly if the traumatic memory is sensitive or breaks a cultural taboo.
Conversely, other clients may find that speaking in their dominant language or switching back and forth allows them to access earlier memories, particularly negative ones that may still be affecting them as adults. Language choice, in this case, can lead to a breakthrough in understanding problem areas and identifying helpful coping strategies.
Finding a Bilingual Counselor
Given the advantages of a bilingual counselor, bilingual clients may decide it is worth seeking out a counselor who can speak their languages. There is no standard training for bilingual counselors, despite a growing need for them. As a result, a good fit is key.
Clients should look for a trained counselor with whom they feel they can establish a rapport and who has had previous experience with bilingual therapy. When in session, clients should feel free to use language in the way that feels most comfortable to them, whether that means speaking mostly in their dominant language or switching back and forth at will.
To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.
References
Seto, A., & Forth, N. L. A. (2020). What is known about bilingual counseling? A systematic review of the literature. The Professional Counselor, 10(3), 393–405. https://doi.org/10.15241/as.10.3.393
Trepal, H., Ivers, N., & Lopez, A. (2014). Students' Experiences with Bilingual Counseling. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 6(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.7729/62.1096
