The most vulnerable among us.

Although many of the more than 17 million refugees and asylum seekers worldwide are injured or hungry, many more of them suffer from psychological harm because of torture, psychological violation, forced displacement, rape, and extended deprivation. As a result, many resettled refugees in the United States are at significantly higher risk of developing mental health problems due to both the trauma from which they fled and the challenge of adjusting to their new lives. Because of its emphasis on the individual, the Western model of psychotherapy may seem foreign to many refugee populations. In many cultures, people disclose deep mental anguish only in the company of a few trusted individuals. Some refugees may also have difficulty confiding in medical professionals because they have learned not to trust authority figures. In order for mental health therapy to be successful with refugees, an appropriate interpreter-one who matches not only the language of the client but also the ethnic and political identity-is crucial.