Interprofessional collaboration to enhance interaction in interpreter-mediated psychological therapy
In psychological therapies involving speakers with limited English proficiency, interpreters play a critical role in facilitating communication between therapists and therapy service users. To promote better understanding and build up trust between two professionals through interprofessional collaboration, Dr Jade Biyu Du from the School of Modern Languages organised an event on 8 July 2022.
17 July 2020
In psychological therapies involving speakers with limited English proficiency, interpreters play a critical role in facilitating communication between therapists and therapy service users. To promote better understanding and build up trust between two professionals through interprofessional collaboration, Dr Jade Biyu Du from the School of Modern Languages organised an event on 8 July 2022. This event attracted over 20 participants from Newcastle, Teesside, and nearby areas. A majority of attendees were clinical psychologists and public service interpreters.
Dr Jade Biyu Du introduced a pilot study in collaboration with Dr Anna Chaddock, which involved trainee clinical psychologists working with trainee interpreters on a simulation of an interpreter-mediated therapeutic session. Dr Du presented the result of the pilot study and the implications for future training.
Mr Phil Muriel, an experienced public service interpreter, shared his experience of interpreting in mental health settings. Professor Rachel Tribe from the University of East London, a registered HCPC psychologist, gave a talk about how to work with interpreters and recommended useful resources.
After that, participants discussed in small groups, with each group consisting of interpreters and psychologists. They exchanged experiences of working with non-English speakers in mental health and shared views on the challenges in interpreter-mediated psychotherapy and the training needs.
Feedback collected after the event shows that participants supported the interprofessional approach and commended that the event provided a great opportunity for the two professionals to have a dialogue about how to work with each other effectively. They hoped there would be more opportunities in the future.
After this event, Dr Jade Biyu Du and Dr Anna Chaddock will have focus groups with therapists to understand their real-life experience of working with interpreters, which will inform the design of a training package.