Chinese Clients in Canada - Cross Cultural Consultation - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Language Barriers

Attention Counselors, Therapists, Family Therapists, Mental Health Workers, Psychiatrists, School Counselors, Teachers and other community helping professionals:

Are Language or Cultural Barriers Preventing You From Providing Quality Services to Your Chinese Clients?

As a helping professional working with the Chinese population, you may be facing some of the following challenges:

you are worried about your clients’ welfare because of the limitations on your ability to understand one another.
you are concerned that you may not be making an accurate assessment of your clients’ issues.
you are afraid that your interventions may be culturally inappropriate.
you want to avoid making culturally stereo-typed assumptions about your Chinese clients.
even with a language interpreter, you and your clients still have difficulty in understanding one another -- you feel “lost in translation.”

If you are experiencing any of the above challenges, my cross cultural consultation may help.

I can help you overcome the “cultural foggy screen” that is blocking your ability to provide quality service to your Chinese clients.

I appreciated Lo's help in translating for a family that required extra supports for their child in school. Lo translated two meetings, one with the child's mother and nursery school teacher, and one with team members at a meeting preparing for kindergarten. Lo did more than just translate; she helped to bridge the gap between Chinese and Canadian cultures by offering explanations and adding her own insightful questions.

The child's parents felt more at ease and had a much better understanding of the needs the nursery school was expressing, as well as the services that were available. Lo's translation also gave them a voice on the team by being able to express their own observations and hopes. Likewise, the school had a better understanding of the child's behaviour, expectations and culture at home.

Without Lo's translation and cultural insights, the family would have remained on the peripheral of understanding what was happening and what was needed for their son, and they would not have been able to express what they wanted. The school, too, would have offered less to this child due to not understanding the family's culture and the parents' perspectives. The Chinese cultural and therapist perspectives that Lo offers are helpful for increasing understanding and strengthening relationships between families and day cares/schools.

Tanya Hoover
Family Support Coordinator
The Family Centre of Winnipeg

As you know, living in a foreign country unable to speak the language and surrounded by foreign cultural beliefs and rituals can create a huge sense of isolation and a deep disconnection with one’s own self.

Your clients often feel lost, distrustful, helpless and hopeless as they experience this disconnection on every level of their being. It can lead to severe emotional disturbance and can even cause mental illness or other dysfunctions.

Being able to speak their own language allows your clients to express their feelings and thoughts clearly, which can help break the feelings of isolation. It also reduces their anxiety and distrust so that you can be of more help to them.

Having spent the first 10 years of my life in Mainland China and the next 20 years in Hong Kong, I have a broad understanding of Chinese culture. Furthermore, in my work in Canada, I have experience working with a diverse group of cultures, including English, French, Greek, Italian, Native (aboriginal), Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese (mainland and Hong Kong), etc.

Having an experienced professional like me being part of your team will help you and your clients to avoid unnecessary frustration and discouragement. You will then be able to utilize your wisdom and skills to ensure you are providing the best service possible.

My cross cultural consultation services will assist you to:

increase the accuracy in your assessment of your clients’ needs, strengths and limitations.
regain a sense of leadership and clarity in working with your clients.
increase the accuracy in communication between you and your clients.
identify your clients’ culturally related resistance or limitations.
avoid being trapped and misled by the culturally stereo-typed assumptions of Asian and Chinese populations.
create a culturally appropriate strategy to work effectively with your clients.
increase trust and reduce hostility in your relationship with your clients.

If you are feeling stuck, and have questions about working with your Chinese clients and want to set up a consultation time with me, please call me to find out how I can help. I can be reached at (204) 952-9668, lo@lochantherapy.com.

If you or your clients reside outside Winnipeg, I can provide consultation services for you or your clients via telephone.

Phone: 204-952-9668 | Email: lo@lochantherapy.com | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada