The article addresses the inclusion of non-Slovenian speakers into mental healthcare services in Slovenia by looking at how language assistance is perceived and received during psychotherapy and psychosocial support sessions. Clients of mental healthcare services in Slovenia are increasingly more linguistically diverse, which may add to the existing challenges that the mental healthcare system faces. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to conceive more inclusive mental care for non-Slovenian speakers. The article highlights the main characteristics of language assistance in psychotherapy and psychosocial support sessions. It presents the findings of a study that point to the difficulties regarding implementing language assistance in mental health care in Slovenia, which are consistent with findings in other European settings and beyond.

Keywords: language assistance, mental healthcare, psychotherapy, psychosocial support, Slovenia, intercultural mediation, interpreting

The article addresses the inclusion of non-Slovenian speakers into mental healthcare services in Slovenia by looking at how language assistance is perceived and received during psychotherapy and psychosocial support sessions. Clients of mental healthcare services in Slovenia are increasingly more linguistically diverse, which may add to the existing challenges that the mental healthcare system faces. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to conceive more inclusive mental care for non-Slovenian speakers. The article highlights the main characteristics of language assistance in psychotherapy and psychosocial support sessions. It presents the findings of a study that point to the difficulties regarding implementing language assistance in mental health care in Slovenia, which are consistent with findings in other European settings and beyond.

Keywords: language assistance, mental healthcare, psychotherapy, psychosocial support, Slovenia, intercultural mediation, interpreting

Slovenia has been repatriating persons of Slovenian descent and their immediate family members from poverty-stricken Venezuela since 2019. The article explores the innate, situational, and structural vulnerabilities of the repatriates, focusing in particular on the vulnerabilities affecting their well-being and leading to emotional distress. The vulnerabilities are examined through the lens of time, i.e., before, during, and after the acquisition of the status of a repatriate, and in the context of specific age-related integration challenges. The article shows that their preferred emotional support is provided by the close-knit community of Venezuelan repatriates with whom they share the same language, culture, and experience of repatriation and integration and by the Catholic church through mass, confession, and church gatherings.

Keywords: repatriation, vulnerabilities, integration, Slovenia, Venezuela

Slovenia has been repatriating persons of Slovenian descent and their immediate family members from poverty-stricken Venezuela since 2019. The article explores the innate, situational, and structural vulnerabilities of the repatriates, focusing in particular on the vulnerabilities affecting their well-being and leading to emotional distress. The vulnerabilities are examined through the lens of time, i.e., before, during, and after the acquisition of the status of a repatriate, and in the context of specific age-related integration challenges. The article shows that their preferred emotional support is provided by the close-knit community of Venezuelan repatriates with whom they share the same language, culture, and experience of repatriation and integration and by the Catholic church through mass, confession, and church gatherings.

Keywords: repatriation, vulnerabilities, integration, Slovenia, Venezuela

As part of a systematic literature search, the authors independently reviewed 256 articles and included 12 papers in the final selection. The synthesis of the results showed that the psychological distress of refugees increased significantly following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main mental health difficulties of refugees addressed in the analyzed studies were stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The mental health of refugees during the pandemic appeared to be closely related to their poor living conditions and socioeconomic situation, social exclusion, unemployment, inadequate housing, lack of access to health and social services, discrimination, and lack of essential goods.

Keywords: COVID-19, mental health, refugees, systematic literature review, stress

As part of a systematic literature search, the authors independently reviewed 256 articles and included 12 papers in the final selection. The synthesis of the results showed that the psychological distress of refugees increased significantly following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main mental health difficulties of refugees addressed in the analyzed studies were stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The mental health of refugees during the pandemic appeared to be closely related to their poor living conditions and socioeconomic situation, social exclusion, unemployment, inadequate housing, lack of access to health and social services, discrimination, and lack of essential goods.

Keywords: COVID-19, mental health, refugees, systematic literature review, stress

At present, the issue of migration is becoming increasingly socially and politically relevant at national and global levels. Its increasing restrictiveness, securitization, and precarity are among the significant sources of uncertainty and stress that migrants can experience. Therefore, it is not surprising that the question of how to adapt services in this area to the needs of migrants and/or ethnic minorities is also present among professionals and stakeholders in the area of mental health and migration.

At present, the issue of migration is becoming increasingly socially and politically relevant at national and global levels. Its increasing restrictiveness, securitization, and precarity are among the significant sources of uncertainty and stress that migrants can experience. Therefore, it is not surprising that the question of how to adapt services in this area to the needs of migrants and/or ethnic minorities is also present among professionals and stakeholders in the area of mental health and migration.

In addition to the authors of the articles and the journal’s editors, various co-funders have undoubtedly been an essential element in this decades-long equation of ongoing publication, making it possible to continue publishing (albeit numerically limited) printed copies of the periodical in the digital age. In the past, the publishing of the journal was financially supported by variously named governmental bodies from the fields of science (the Research Community of Slovenia, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), and finally, the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS)) and culture (the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Book Agency). In 2001, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs also added support through the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. The latter and the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) are loyal financial supporters of the journal even today, for which we thank them.

In addition to the authors of the articles and the journal’s editors, various co-funders have undoubtedly been an essential element in this decades-long equation of ongoing publication, making it possible to continue publishing (albeit numerically limited) printed copies of the periodical in the digital age. In the past, the publishing of the journal was financially supported by variously named governmental bodies from the fields of science (the Research Community of Slovenia, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), and finally, the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS)) and culture (the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian Book Agency). In 2001, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs also added support through the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad. The latter and the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS) are loyal financial supporters of the journal even today, for which we thank them.