Building Trust in Mental Health Services

Navigating therapy can feel difficult and intimidating, and adding an unfamiliar country to the mix can make things even more challenging. New language, people, and cultures all contribute to the struggles of recently immigrated people without a familiar face; they are left alone in their pain. While therapy can be beneficial, it is dependent on how therapists interact with clients and how comfortable clients are with these services. Some immigrants have experienced past trauma, which can make it difficult for them to live their daily lives, away from their family and culture, and the struggle can worsen. A study was conducted to investigate therapy to see if 'value-based counselling' (VBC) can aid refugees and migrants. The results were great. Migrants were able to develop and apply their strength and resilience to improve their mental health. 

To open clients up to treatment, we need to apply a less stimulating approach to demonstrate that therapy begins at their own speed. This worksheet attempts to help clients understand how they feel about therapy by introducing them to the questioning technique and methods that counselors use to communicate with them. These questions are aimed toward clients who have previously struggled with opening up, which can elicit emotions. Some questions for counselors regarding anything the client is hoping to learn, which can be addressed at the beginning of a session. This worksheet is intended to help the counselor and client develop deeper connections.