1. Mother Tongue, Trauma and Cultural Sensitivity
Rajwinder Da Costa
(Clinical Manager)

2. Case Study
Case Study:
A young woman entered my therapy room, she was 23 year old, Pakistani and had just left her abusive husband and in-laws. What was evident was that she was so physically thin and mute. She wanted her sister to stay in the therapy room for that first initial assessment and it was quite clear how scared she was to be alone with me. After much coaxing and talking through the client

3. Empowerment Commitment Engagement Reassurance Validation Stabilising
Generic therapy
Empowerment Commitment Engagement Reassurance Validation Stabilising

4. Importance of cultural sensitivity within the therapy room
Stronger working alliance
Trust
Autonomy
Cultural understanding
Positive clinical outcomes
Breaking down stereotypes
Psycho-education
Stronger working alliance
Trust – in-depth disclosures around abuse and content in regards to abuse.
Autonomy – in what and how they express themselves rather then using english as a language that is not personal to them. (i.e. certain expressions or sayings that wouldn’t make sense in english)
Cultural understanding
Positive clinical outcomes – core 34 and evaluation outcomes.
Breaking down stereotypes – role modelling : the strong Asian woman (i.e. they may have come from background where all women have been through FGM)
Psychoeducation – lost in translation about concepts, completely misunderstand they may be trying to say

5. The importance of trauma therapy and mother tongue
Barriers of processing and expressing emotion when English is not your first language
Sense of isolation
Feeling trapped within trauma symptoms
Greater degree of misdiagnosis
Negative labelling
Trauma vs. mental health
Barriers of processing and expressing emotion when English is not your first language
Sense of isolation
Feeling trapped within trauma symptoms
Greater degree of misdiagnosis
Negative labelling
Trauma vs. mental health

6. We can all be multi-cultural therapists
Mother tongue is important
It’s very important to know your client:
What does culture mean to your client?
What has happened to them?
How does abuse and culture impact their road to recovery and healing?

7. Do’s Be curious Do your research Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Stay within your competency
Conduct a thorough clinical assessment
Ask for phrases in client’s mother tongue
Find creative ways for expression i.e art
Work with a clinical supervisor who has experience of this client group

8. Don’t Don’t assume/make judgements Ignore her beliefs
Interpreters – ensure they are specially trained
Don’t use culture as a barrier

9. Ashiana Network Ashiana Network offers: Specialist refuge
Advice and Advocacy
Counselling services
Psycho-educational support groups
Prevention work
Immigration
to Women and Girls (16+) affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, forced marriage, honour based violence and female genital mutilation
The difference we have made in the last year includes:
500 women and girls supported across our refuge, advice and counselling services.
138 left their abusive family home.
Forced marriage prevented in 18 cases.
109 reported the abuse to police.
Contact information e: t: