The (Refugee) Crisis in the Psychotherapeutic Treatment Room

Objective Aim of the study was to examine how discourses of refugees in the media influence the perspective of independent psychotherapists working with refugees. Methods 20 problem-centered interviews were carried out across Germany with independent psychotherapists, and were analyzed using the principles of Grounded Theory. Results 4 portrayals of refugees were identified: The problematic Other' (1), No Other' (2), The advantageous Other' (3) and The excluded subject' (4). Conclusion The impact of discourses about refugees in the media can contribute to understand the findings in this study. Further explanations for the findings could be the differing access to knowledge about the situation of refugees, difficult living conditions of refugees in Germany and a psychotherapeutic approach focusing mainly on mental disorders.