Why your immigration attorney wants you to see a therapist

If you or your family member has a case open with an immigration attorney, it is likely a very stressful time. You may feel bombarded by endless loads of paperwork and legwork. And with all of the current tasks you must do to help your attorney prepare for your case, it may feel like an unnecessary chore to also have to visit the therapist your attorney referred you to.

Your attorney understands that you have already committed a great deal of time and money to your case. And your attorney has your best interest in mind when you are referred to a therapist for an immigration psychological evaluation. If you’ve been referred to a psychotherapist, this usually signifies that your attorney believes that there are powerful aspects of your case that should be highlighted by a specialist in the field of mental health.

Immigration psychological evaluations are reports written by licensed mental health professionals. They emphasize the negative psychological, emotional, physical and financial effects of your relevant current or past circumstances—or the circumstances of your family member. If you have been traumatized or if you or your family member anticipates suffering hardship due to being separated from loved ones, having a mental health professional thoroughly explore these issues with you will likely help your case.

After an immigration psychological evaluation interview, your therapist will provide his or her clinical opinions in the form of a written report. The report holds a great deal of weight because it is written by a professional who is neutral to the case and who is trained in recognizing symptoms associated with trauma and hardship. Ultimately, the person who decides the outcome of your case knows this, and therefore values this piece of evidence.

Your immigration psychological evaluation interview holds more than one benefit. Besides the fact that the evaluation can be a powerful deciding factor in the outcome of your case, the interview can also serve as an opportunity for you to ventilate your emotions with a mental health professional. While your evaluation interview is NOT therapy, many clients report feeling a sense of calm and relief after their appointments because they had an opportunity to express their feelings in a safe environment with a compassionate and empathetic therapist.