AUSIT Webinar | 20210513 Interpreting in Mental Health Settings Part I

The aim of this webinar is to provide interpreters with background knowledge of mental illness, psychiatric interviewing and assessment, outline the common interpreting challenges, offer some strategies for interpreting in a range of psychiatric consultations and discuss positive coping strategies.

Interpreting in mental health settings is complex and interpreters face multiple challenges. Mental health and allied mental health professionals rely primarily on verbal and non-verbal communication for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.

For a successful therapeutic relationship, interpreters require contextual knowledge and an understanding of the role communication plays in the different types of encounters e.g. psychiatric assessment, cognitive assessment, therapy, or family meetings). For example, to make a correct diagnosis, it is crucial to understand the client’s cultural references as well as how he/she communicates (i.e. tone, volume and rate). The challenge for the interpreter is to accurately represent these in order to enable the clinician to make the most appropriate clinical decision.

A common culture or history between client and interpreter may increase the interpreter’s credibility, as well as their ability to fulfil their role. It is important for interpreters to develop positive coping strategies.

Presenter – Andrés Otero Forero

This workshop is facilitated by Colombian-born psychologist Andrés Otero Forero.
Andrés has extensive experience in education. He was a guest lecturer at different academic institutions before coming to Australia in 2003. Since then, Andrés has worked in the multicultural sector. He currently works in the Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre as the Clinical Educator.

Duration 1 hr 59m