Ep. 44 | Becoming a Therapist When English is Your Second Language

In todays episode, we are speaking to PCI graduate Barbara Fiori about her research thesis entitled “My Beautiful Accent: The Experience of Bilingual Trainee Counsellors Providing Therapy in English as a Second Language.” As we discover through our conversation, this may feel like a niche subject but has relevance for a much wider audience. This includes anyone working as a trainer or lecturer with therapy students, as a supervisor and even for any therapist working with clients for whom English is a second language.

Barbara guides us through her research process and findings, highlighting both the strengths and challenges of working in a second language. She outlines how important it is to develop a professional identity and to explore people’s relationship with both their mother tongue and second language. Barbara was awarded the Martin Kitterick Award from PCI College and recently received the IACP Undergraduate Research Excellence Award. Barbara is now a pre-accredited integrative counsellor and psychotherapist with the IACP. She works with adults in private practice in Cork and Online. She is a native Spanish speaker, and offers therapy both in English and Spanish. We are so proud of her achievement and very meaningful contribution to the wider therapy literature. Please read Barbara's research at this link https://www.pcicollege.ie/news/martin-kitterick-award-winner-2025/