Nafsiyat: intercultural therapeutic support: an evaluation

Healthwatch Islington was asked by Nafsiyat to evaluate their Intercultural Therapy service for Bengali/Sylheti speakers.  They spoke to eight clients and three staff between February and June 2022.

Respondents valued the intercultural approach and the support given to prepare them for counselling. Hearing from people they trusted (whether staff or other service users) helped instil confidence in counselling as a well-being tool. Often the clients had been known to the partner organisation for a long time and so Advice Workers and the Project Co-ordinator knew a lot about the client’s personal circumstances that other healthcare professionals might not have been aware of. These ongoing relationships also really fostered a sense of trust and enabled clients to open up even further about their needs, and to trust the Project Co-ordinator when they suggested talking to someone independent.

Being supported by a therapist with an intercultural approach, who understood their experiences as a person of colour with a shared language and an understanding of their beliefs helped the clients to open up and get the most out of the therapeutic experience. Clients talked about feeling heard, and feeling better by being able to open up, despite some initial hesitancy. They were clear about what counselling could and couldn’t resolve. Several talked about looking forward to their sessions. All highlighted the importance of being able to speak freely, and that the gender, language and faith of the therapist helped them open up.

Working in partnership increased access to the services as some of the clients who took part might not have accessed therapy at all if not through this route. For the one client who had been offered NHS provided counselling, this had been more short-term, relating to their physical health condition. They hadn’t been offered support with someone who spoke their language but had found mother-tongue counselling hugely beneficial compared to their English-language experience.

The research identifies five benefits of this approach, including their language needs being met and a therapist that understands their background.