Picture sitting across from a psychologist, trying to put into words something that has been weighing on you for years. Not a passing bad mood, but something deeper. You search for the right word. In your mother tongue, it would come instantly. In a second language, it stays just out of reach. For many people living in Rotterdam, this is not a hypothetical scenario but the everyday reality of seeking help in a language that is not the language of the heart.
At Mavera GGZ, we believe this difference matters. That is why we offer specialist mental healthcare in seven languages: Dutch, Turkish, English, Ukrainian, Polish, Uyghur and Arabic, delivered by BIG-registered therapists.
Why language is more than words
Emotions carry layers of meaning that do not always translate cleanly from one language to another. Feelings such as shame, guilt, loss or unease are experienced differently and expressed differently depending on the language you grew up speaking. The expressions, images and turns of phrase people reach for when describing something complicated are often rooted in their first language and can lose their weight once translated.
This matters most when discussing sensitive or complex topics such as trauma. When someone describes a difficult experience, every detail counts: tone, timing, the precise words chosen. A small inaccuracy in translation can leave a therapist with an incomplete picture, or cause something important to go unsaid simply because it feels too hard to express in a second language.
Trust plays a major role as well. Many people feel safer and more able to be honest when they can express themselves in their own language. That trust forms the foundation good treatment is built on.
What culturally sensitive care looks like in practice
Culturally sensitive care is about more than language alone. It means a therapist is attentive to the context someone lives in: the role of family, religious beliefs, experiences of migration, or questions around identity. It does not mean assuming how someone thinks or lives based on their background. On the contrary, it means making space to understand what a person’s specific situation, values and environment mean to them, without assumptions or stereotyping.
At Mavera GGZ, this translates into:
- Therapists who are familiar with diverse cultural backgrounds and approach them with openness and respect.
- Space to discuss topics that may feel sensitive within certain families or communities, such as mental health struggles, without judgment.
- Attention to how family, faith or migration history may play a role in someone’s difficulties and recovery, in a way that fits the individual rather than a generalisation.
In short, culturally sensitive care means you are seen as a person, not as a representative of a group.
An interpreter is not the same as a therapist who speaks your language
It is sometimes assumed that working with a professional interpreter achieves the same result as seeing a therapist who shares your language and cultural background. That is not the case. A professional interpreter is valuable, and sometimes necessary, but an interpreter translates words. A therapist who speaks your language and understands your cultural context often grasps the underlying tone, implicit meaning and context without it needing translation in the first place.
The presence of a third person in the room also changes the dynamic of a conversation. For many people, it feels easier to open up in a conversation between two, without anyone else mediating.
If you have ever felt a language barrier in care before
Perhaps this sounds familiar: an earlier appointment with a GP or another care provider where you felt that what you meant did not quite come across. A moment afterwards where you thought, I wish I could have said this in my own language. That feeling of not being understood can raise the threshold to seeking help, right at the moment you need it most.
At Mavera GGZ, you should not have to face that barrier. Whether you express yourself best in Turkish, English, Ukrainian, Polish, Uyghur or Arabic, there is a therapist ready to think alongside you in the language that lets you be most fully yourself.
How to access care at Mavera GGZ
Specialist mental healthcare in the Netherlands requires a referral from your GP. When speaking with your GP, mention that you would prefer treatment in your own language and ask for a referral to Mavera GGZ. Our therapists work with methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), EMDR, ACT, schema therapy, psychodynamic therapy, couples and family therapy, group therapy, online therapy and pharmacotherapy, tailored to what fits your situation.
If you have questions about the options available in your language, feel free to contact Mavera GGZ at Rozenlaan 115, 3051 LP Rotterdam, by phone on 010–254 38 96, or by email at info@maveraggz.nl.
In an emergency or crisis situation, always call 112 (in the Netherlands) or go to A&E. Mavera GGZ does not provide crisis care, but we are here to support you through a treatment process in which you feel truly understood, in the language that does the most justice to your story.
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