A phenomenological exploration of foreign-born therapists’ experiences of relocation: implications for therapists’ identity and clinical work

Aim: The aim of this study was to gain insight into how foreign-born therapists’ experiences of relocation and adjustment in the new country, Belgium, shape their personal and professional identities and clinical practice, and impact on their client work.

Methodology / Design: Four participants (2 psychologists and 2 psychotherapists) were interviewed on their experiences of relocating and adjusting in Brussels, and their clinical work with predominantly international clients. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which was analysed with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) that allows for in-depth engagement with participants’ lived experiences and meaning-making processes due to its idiographic and interpretative stance.

Findings: Analysis of the interviews identified four master themes: (I) The eye-opening experience of relocation. Relocation involved challenges and adjustments, and conscious choices to leave certain aspects of life behind and make connections with the new environment. In the process, participants discovered increased freedom and choice of ‘who to be’, as well as opportunities for growth and change. (II) What can I relate to in Brussels? Participants’ accounts captured an active process of belonging and adjusting through positioning oneself and uncovering how one fits into a new context, making links and engaging with the new country on different levels, such as linguistic, social and personal. (III) Do I belong professionally? Findings revealed the contrast in how identities of ‘psychologist’ and ‘psychotherapy practitioner’ are constructed in Belgium, and the challenges of holding the identity of ‘psychotherapist’. This highlighted the invaluable role of contextual support that is presently lacking, and related complexities of finding a sense of belonging in a professional community. (IV) ‘Oh, you are like me you know, so you can understand me’. Participants’ own international experiences were found to impact their client work via, for instance, their greater capacity to attune to cultural diversity, higher sensitivity and ability to relate to their clients’ adjustment struggles, modelling of adjustment and belonging, capacity to adjust their approach to accommodate for lack of language proficiency, and holding in mind specific needs of expatriate/foreign client group.

Conclusions/Implications: This research contributes to the understanding of the therapeutic encounter within the therapeutic dyad where both client and therapist are foreign-born. This study adds to the practice of counselling psychology and psychotherapy by further exploring the impact that being a foreign therapist can have on therapeutic process, contributing to the literature used to promote therapists’ reflexive working practices. The findings of this research are intended to support other clinicians in using their own international experiences to benefit therapeutic encounters by raising awareness of what they bring into the therapeutic space, and how they can use their own experiences more effectively in their clinical work.