What is it like - providing psychotherapy in another language?

English is my second language. Sometimes, I am asked: "What is it like - to provide psychotherapy in another language?"

I love having sessions in English because they allow me to get to know other people and new cultures and feel closer to the huge, diverse world we live in. My clients (not only English-speaking, though) are very interesting and brave people, so it's a pleasure to be a part of their life-changing processes.

I have studied it since school, achieved fluency and lived in Melbourne, using it in my studies and everyday life, but my primary thinking is Russian. So, therapy in English requires some cognitive activity: I need to analyze my syntax, lexis and grammar simultaneously and understand my client's situation and worldview. Sometimes, I can't remember the word, miss articles, or use the wrong tense. Guilty! That's why I don't have sessions in the early mornings or after a long working day - my brain is usually tired, and I'm not as effective as I want to be.

But as soon as we get to the psychological field and focus on feelings, values and desires, I am quite confident and well-equipped in whatever language I speak. The reason for this is that understanding of other people's worries and emotions depends more on empathy, openness and willingness to understand rather than on grammar rules or vocabulary range. Maybe it's some magic - I don't know! We call it an existential-humanistic approach in psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy in English is an exceptional way for me to see other life perspectives and help people get through their troubles, even though sometimes I need to pay a little bit more attention to my speech than I do in my native language.