Das Sprachenporträt : Ein Instrumentarium in der Arbeit mit traumatisierten geflüchteten Menschen

Abstract

The language portrait — A valuable instrument for psychotherapy with traumatized refugees. Language often plays a key role in psychotherapy with traumatized refugees: people possibly cannot find words for horrific events they have had to suffer, so-called “speechless terror”, or else experience a lack of knowledge of the host language. Encountering an unfamiliar culture, the conceivable need for interpreters and the scope of trauma caused by man-made atrocities such as war, persecution and torture should be taken into consideration. In the Person-Centered Approach trust between client and therapist is essential to therapy and
counselling. The so-called “Sprachenporträt”, which means language portrait, as topic of this article, can be a useful instrument to assist clients regaining control and self-determination, thereby honoring their uniqueness expressed by their personal diversity of languages.