Family Therapists’ experience of working in a second language – An Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis
The in-depth experiences of four bilingual family therapists having grown up in a European
country but having moved on to train and work in Ireland with English as their second
language were conducted by using semi-structured interviews. The data collected was
transcribed and analysed through an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a
qualitative method, which aimed to capture participants’ lived experiences. The findings were
analysed according to the principles of IPA. The analysis produced four master themes.
These were, “Differences and similarities‟ (Subthemes: unfamiliar communication rules,
internalised systemic terminology, relationship to native language, a sense of switching); “An
opportunity for self-experience and reflexivity” (Subthemes: retaining of self, expectations of
self, how others perceive me, my coping mechanism); “Unique therapeutic learning”
(Subthemes: language in systemic therapy, connection through collaboration) and “An
enriching but challenging privilege – ambivalent emotions‟ (Subthemes: a complicated,
confusing and frustrating struggle, an enriching privilege).
Practitioner points
 Relevant in a time of globalisation and cross-cultural practice
 More cultural awareness within Family Therapy/Psychotherapy community – practice and
training
 Tools for working cross-culturally: Cultural genograms, online sessions etc.
 Results showed differences in set up of psychotherapy profession in different European
countries – different cultural understanding within profession
 Raise interest in politics of regulating profession
Claudia Harke