What is Intercultural Therapy?

Our founder, Jafar Kareem, established intercultural therapy as a method of working therapeutically with the individual experience of patients:

‘taking into account the whole being of the patient – not only the individual concepts and constructs as presented to the therapists – but also the patients’ communal life experience in the world, both past and present. The very fact of being from another culture employs both conscious and unconscious assumptions – both in the patient and in the therapist.’  (Kareem, 1987)

Any form of psychotherapy or counselling can help you work through difficulties or distress, but intercultural therapy is particularly sensitive to the importance of race, culture, beliefs, values, attitudes, religion and language, so it is especially beneficial amongst culturally diverse groups.

Intercultural therapy takes into account external realities such as racism, sexism, refugee status, physical health and abilities and poverty.

It also recognises the differences and similarities of various aspects of culture between the client and therapist. Being able to connect with your therapist on a cultural level can enable a deeper level of communication and a more effective therapeutic experience.

  • “I was coming and going from therapy with no clear purpose... the therapist at Nafsiyat speaks Arabic and that made therapy more meaningful and useful compared to my previous experience”

    A PATIENT WHO HAD BEEN TO A THERAPIST ELSEWHERE (WHERE SHE COMMUNICATED WITH THE AID OF AN INTERPRETER)

  • “I felt relieved that I spoke my own language without someone translating back into English. I believe I cannot convey my feelings enough via translation. Speaking in Turkish gave me more freedom and trust and I felt understood”

    MAIN INTERVIEW PARTICIPANT, TURKEY

  • “It’s like every time we go a little bit deeper, it really helps”

    PILOT INTERVIEW PARTICIPANT, PALESTINE