Interactions and mediation between multilingual clients and their psychotherapist

Abstract

The editors pointed out that all interactions require some degree of mediation. In other words, a common ground needs to be established on which communication can be based, and when difficulties emerge mediation will be required. In this paper, we will argue that there are contexts where the assumption of common ground is stronger or weaker depending on the training, experience and disciplinary background of those involved in the interaction. The need for mediation may thus be greater in contexts where the assumption of common ground is over-optimistic, and where the consequences of not spotting the potential misunderstanding, and hence skipping mediation, may be serious. Language professionals are very much aware of variation in language proficiency and are less likely to assume complete common ground with fluent Foreign Language (LX) users than professionals from other backgrounds for whom language is merely a technical tool that does not merit special attention. Thus, considering an interlocutor who can talk easily about the weather in an LX, a Foreign Language teacher is less likely to assume complete linguistic common ground than a psychotherapist whose main concern is to locate the source of a client’s issues. The language teacher has been taught that students may have linguistic and cultural gaps that are not immediately apparent and that meaning may need to be negotiated in the classroom. The psychotherapist has been trained to try to understand the client’s worldview, but frequently that training ignores their clients’ linguistic profiles and experiences. Negotiation about meanings and across differences and power differentials, which goes to the heart of psychotherapeutic communication, often ignores the linguistic gap. In particular, psychotherapists (especially monolingual ones) may be less aware that multilinguals can have different levels of proficiency in different discourse domains (Grosjean, 2016). In other words, the ability to converse fluently in the LX about certain everyday topics does not necessarily imply an ability to convey subtle, complex emotions in that language. Clients themselves may be unaware of this. 
 The aim of the present paper is therefore to highlight the need for extra awareness among psychotherapists about both visible and invisible linguistic and cultural obstacles to emotion communication that will require mediation with their LX clients, using appropriate strategies.

Processing negative autobiographical memories in a foreign language

“…These findings support the idea by Dewaele and Costa, (2013) of the need to pay more attention to language as an influent factor within the multilingual clinical context. Patients can use bilingualism or multilingualism as a tool to adjust their needs of communication in therapy, as discussed by Dewaele et al, (2020). Even though we have not explained the phenomenon of the foreign language effect, we can bring some perspective to how it works in relation to negative memories and their processing, and ultimately the modulatory role this effect has on emotional response.…”

Processing negative autobiographical memories in a foreign language

“…These findings support the idea by Dewaele and Costa (2013) of the need to pay more attention to language as an influential factor within the multilingual clinical context. Patients can use bilingualism or multilingualism to adjust their needs for communication in therapy, as discussed by Dewaele et al (2020) . Even though we have not explained the phenomenon of the foreign language effect, we can bring some perspective to how it works in relation to negative memories and their processing, and ultimately the modulatory role this effect has on emotional response.…”

La biographie langagière d’adolescents bilingues:

“…L'intérêt est de croiser une technique de recueil d'informations ciblées avec les missions dévolues à l'orthophoniste, pour proposer une évaluation des besoins langagiers qui seraient particuliers aux enfants et adolescents bilingues. De surcroit, la biographie langagière établit un rapport à l'authenticité d'évènements vécus par et à travers l'expérience langagière (Dewaele, Costa, Rolland, & Cook, 2020). Dans ces conditions, les interlocuteurs en présence s'orientent vers des échanges interpersonnels déliés et libérés du carcan médical.…”