interpreting for a phychiatrist
Thread poster: Natalia Samoilova
Natalia Samoilova
Natalia Samoilova
English to Russian
+ ...
Jun 4, 2003

Dear all,
Does anybody know of books or articles about interpreting at the meeting with phychiatrist? Can anybody possibly share your experience of doing interpreting on such occasion?
Thanks,
Natalia.


 
Patricia Posadas
Patricia Posadas  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:41
English to Spanish
+ ...
I have some experience... Jun 4, 2003

in similar situations.
My advice: be even more invisible than usual! Don't show any feeling at all. Try to do it as if you were 'a machine' a bit like in simultaneous interpretation.

I'd ask not to face the psy or the patient... anyway it's never a good idea to have an interpreter in this situation, I wonder how some psys accept.


 
Egmont
Egmont
Spain
Local time: 14:41
Afrikaans to Spanish
+ ...
MACHINE Jun 4, 2003

Patricia Posadas wrote:

in similar situations.
My advice: be even more invisible than usual! Don't show any feeling at all. Try to do it as if you were 'a machine' a bit like in simultaneous interpretation.

I'd ask not to face the psy or the patient... anyway it's never a good idea to have an interpreter in this situation, I wonder how some psys accept.


Maybe because those psys think that the interpreter is but a machine...it is my experience, sniff...


 
Natalia Samoilova
Natalia Samoilova
English to Russian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Why do you need to be even more invisible? Jun 4, 2003

Thank you Patricia!
Could you please explain a bit your point about invisibility. Is it because of the patient or because of the interpreting process per se?


 
Patricia Posadas
Patricia Posadas  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:41
English to Spanish
+ ...
Because of the interpreting process Jun 4, 2003

It depends also what kind of psychotherapy it is... but given the importance of interpreting the patient's feelings etc. even the actual words he uses are important.

One of the main things to start with is rapport and this with an interpreter in the middle...

If you manage to just say what you hear, distorting as little as possible and showing no feelings or reactions on your part (VERY difficult thing) the psy might be able to associate your words with the patient's
... See more
It depends also what kind of psychotherapy it is... but given the importance of interpreting the patient's feelings etc. even the actual words he uses are important.

One of the main things to start with is rapport and this with an interpreter in the middle...

If you manage to just say what you hear, distorting as little as possible and showing no feelings or reactions on your part (VERY difficult thing) the psy might be able to associate your words with the patient's non oral language. But even so it is not easy.

Also, speak in the first person... not '(s)he says that... it might help a little.

Howveer, as far as I know even a therapy in a foreign language you master is less effective than one in your mother tongue, so with an interpreter...
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Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)  Identity Verified
French to English
+ ...
Experience in this area Jun 4, 2003

Why is everybody jumping?

I have experience in this area. Let me know what you need to know by private email.

Is this one appointment with a psychiatrist?

Contact me if you like.

cheers


 
PaulaMac (X)
PaulaMac (X)
French to English
+ ...
What!! Jun 5, 2003

Jane Lamb-Ruiz wrote:

Why is everybody jumping?

I have experience in this area. Let me know what you need to know by private email.

Is this one appointment with a psychiatrist?

Contact me if you like.

cheers


I find it hard to believe that a psychiatrist would agree to an "interpreted" session, rather than referring the patient to a psychiatrist who speaks the patient's language.


 
aivars
aivars  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 09:41
English to Spanish
+ ...
Don't laugh when patient or shrink talks Jun 5, 2003

I'm a shrink. Actually I never had a situation where an interpreter was needed. Do your usual job, and it really doesn't matter if you miss a word or two .
Misunderstandings can be very therapeutical.


 
Williamson
Williamson  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:41
Flemish to English
+ ...
A "humane" machine Jun 5, 2003

Although you must render what is said in the target-language with the same tone of voice as a the speaker, you do must remain that "humane" machine. You never become involved.
If a woman yells in a high-pitched voice, you yell in the same high-pitched voice (difficult when the interpreter is a man), but without feeling.
Compare it to a politician, who can tells lies and sell these lies as the most ethical or patriotic thing there is (means he or she is well-trained). When during a W
... See more
Although you must render what is said in the target-language with the same tone of voice as a the speaker, you do must remain that "humane" machine. You never become involved.
If a woman yells in a high-pitched voice, you yell in the same high-pitched voice (difficult when the interpreter is a man), but without feeling.
Compare it to a politician, who can tells lies and sell these lies as the most ethical or patriotic thing there is (means he or she is well-trained). When during a Works-Council a CEO informs the representatives that he is going to "reorganize" plant X,Y,Z and the representative turns bleak because his position is at state, you just interpret it (you do not turn bleak).
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Cidália Martins (X)
Cidália Martins (X)
English
+ ...
I also have some experience with this Jun 7, 2003

In fact, my first paid interpreting assignments were exactly that: interpreting between a patient and a psychiatrist.

It wasn't particularly difficult but I suppose it all depends on the individual and what their specific mental illness is.

I just did my best to interpret everything faithfully, without getting emotional, and always spoke in the first person.

A psychiatrist who speaks the patient's language isn't always available, so an interpreter becomes n
... See more
In fact, my first paid interpreting assignments were exactly that: interpreting between a patient and a psychiatrist.

It wasn't particularly difficult but I suppose it all depends on the individual and what their specific mental illness is.

I just did my best to interpret everything faithfully, without getting emotional, and always spoke in the first person.

A psychiatrist who speaks the patient's language isn't always available, so an interpreter becomes necessary.
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Edith Kelly
Edith Kelly  Identity Verified
Switzerland
Local time: 14:41
Member
German to English
+ ...
Be professional Jun 9, 2003

If you are a professional (conference)interpreter, you do your job, be it for psychiatric patients or for lawnmowers. You should have learned how to handle all sorts of situations.

If your experience as a professional (conference) interpreter is somewhat limited, you might consider declining the job, as it might put you in a stressful situation.


 
sylver
sylver  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:41
English to French
Therapeutical misunderstandings Jun 14, 2003

aivars wrote:
I'm a shrink. Actually I never had a situation where an interpreter was needed. Do your usual job, and it really doesn't matter if you miss a word or two .
Misunderstandings can be very therapeutical.

You are joking, right?

Cheers,
Sylvain

[Edited at 2003-06-14 13:39]


 
Linda Mikačić
Linda Mikačić
Local time: 08:41
English to Croatian
+ ...
I stand by you, Sylvain; Jun 19, 2003

sylver wrote:

aivars wrote:
I'm a shrink. Actually I never had a situation where an interpreter was needed. Do your usual job, and it really doesn't matter if you miss a word or two .
Misunderstandings can be very therapeutical.

You are joking, right?

Cheers,
Sylvain

I stand by you, Sylvain; you simply cannot tell an interpreter that it doesn't matter if s/he misses a word or two...

[Edited at 2003-06-14 13:39]


 


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interpreting for a phychiatrist







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