We Are What We Speak? : Bilingualism as a Lens in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

The increasing demand for bi- and multilingual therapy, driven by global migration and the influx of speakers of diverse languages in metropolitan areas, necessitates that both therapists and patients begin observing the role of language in the therapeutic space. This is especially important in psychotherapy subfields such as psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, where transference and countertransference are crucial for treatment. Current research primarily focuses on the patient’s experience with language in therapy. As such, the aim of the present exploratory qualitative study is to investigate the way that therapists experience sharing more than one language with their patients in the therapeutic space. I conducted four 50-minute-long unstructured interviews with psychodynamic psychotherapists and psychoanalysts from Germany and Chile who practice clinically in more than one language. Using critical constructivist grounded theory to analyze the data, I identified and interpreted 215 meaning units that were grouped into four overarching themes: A) Acquired Languages versus Mother Tongue May Function Differently for Therapists in Practice, B) Access to Multiple Languages Serves as Tools in the Therapy, C) Elements of Therapists’ Personal Matters May Surface Through the Patient’s Language Choice in Real Time, and D) Language Usage Impacts the Therapeutic Space. The core finding of the research was: Although There are Challenges, Access to Multiple Languages Ultimately Enriches the Therapeutic Space, Providing Deeper Understanding for Both Patient and Therapist. Findings speak to the value of therapists and patients alike using multiple languages in therapy. Implications for multilingual psychotherapy research and practice are discussed.