‘The English language enables me to visit my pain’. Exploring experiences of using a later-learned language in the healing journey of survivors of sexuality persecution

Abstract

Aims and objectives: This qualitative study explores the experience of using a later-learned language, English (ELX), in the therapeutic journey of refugee survivors of sexuality persecution to enhance understanding of the role of language in their rehabilitation. Design/methodology/approach: This is a multiple case study of three refugees, persecuted in their home country because of their sexual orientation, who are regular attendees of a therapeutic community, Room to Heal, based in London. A qualitatively driven mixed-method research design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and ethnography was employed. Data and analysis: Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with the first author. They consisted of questions about the relationship between the participants’ languages, emotions and sense of self. Findings/conclusions: Participants shared common positive experiences characterised by feelings of the ELX being a liberating tool that empowered them and enabled them to bear witness to their trauma, express their same-sex love more easily and be more self-accepting, and contributed to the (re)invention and performance of a ‘new’ self. Originality: The originality resides first in the unique profile of the participants – victims of persecution because of their sexual orientation; second in the unique context – a therapeutic community supporting refugees; and third in the methodology – a qualitatively driven mixed-method design combining IPA and ethnography. Significance/implications: The findings support an embodied perspective of languages and highlight the need for therapists to be aware of multilingualism and its effects. The reduced emotional resonance of a later-learned language may offer its users a way to access trauma and build a new self within the therapeutic process.

Language Choice in Psychotherapy of Multilingual Clients

“…The results of the interviews also demonstrated the essential role that therapists' understanding of their own and their clients' languages plays in discussing emotionally sensitive topics (e.g., family relations, memories, etc.). The participants' observations of closer emotional involvement in L1 than in LX confirms earlier work on multilingualism and emotion (Cook & Dewaele, 2021;Dewaele, 2013;Dewaele & Costa, 2013;Kokaliari et al, 2013;Moate & Ruohotie-Lyhty, 2017;Panicacci & Dewaele, 2017. Our study demonstrated that the sensitivity of emotional encoding and decoding to the language in which it is expressed seems to be particularly relevant when discussing traumatic events (Cook, 2019).…”

“…English LX made it possible to recount the traumatic experience which occurred in their L1 without being overwhelmed by despair. As one participant put it: "The English language enables me to visit my pain" (Cook & Dewaele, 2021). English LX allowed them to enhance their self-esteem and confidence.…”

“…English LX allowed them to enhance their self-esteem and confidence. Dewaele et al (2020) and Cook and Dewaele (2021) pointed out that the use of an LX may be just one strategy in the healing process, allowing the processing and integration of the trauma at an embodied and cognitive level.…”

Expression and interpretation of emotions in multilingual psychotherapy: A literature review

“…The last subsection in this present review includes seven studies (Brune et al, 2011; Cook & Dewaele, 2022; Dewaele & Costa, 2013; Ibarra, 2021; Schwanberg, 2010; Szoke et al, 2020; Verkerk et al, 2021) that investigate the issue of treating trauma in multiple languages. Five of the studies (Brune et al, 2011; Cook & Dewaele, 2022; Ibarra, 2021; Schwanberg, 2010; Szoke et al, 2020) have trauma treatment and language as their primary focus, whereas the remaining two (Dewaele & Costa, 2013; Verkerk et al, 2021) mention this among their findings.…”

RER-LX: A new scale to measure reduced emotional resonance in bilinguals’ later learnt language

“…Switching to the LX allows multilingual clients in psychotherapy to either zoom in or out depending on whether they need to distance themselves from the traumatic event they are discussing (Costa & Dewaele, 2014, 2019Rolland, Costa, & Dewaele, 2021;Rolland, Dewaele, & Costa, 2017). Cook and Dewaele (2021) multiple case study on the language preferences of three refugees who had been tortured in their homeland because of their sexual orientation before starting therapy in the UK showed that some experiences were just too traumatic to retell in their L1 but that the use of English (LX) enabled them "to visit their pain" as one participant put it.…”