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The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the important and unique challenges that arise when using interpreters while conducting psychotherapy with forced migrants who have experienced a range of human rights abuse.

The paper employs a practice‐based evidence methodology that offers guidance to both clinicians and researchers.

Working with interpreters in the clinical setting is often a challenging and complex process for which mental health professionals are rarely prepared. This paper outlines key strategies to address these challenges and limitations.

Empirically‐based research is lacking and is certainly warranted.

It is the responsibility of programs, training sites, supervisors, and institutions to help teach how to work with interpreters.

This paper addresses how to navigate the key issues that arise through the use of interpreters in a mental health setting with forced migrants, including: initiating a therapeutic relationship with an interpreter; common issues that arise around language; setting the therapeutic frame; and addressing boundaries; acknowledging the role of culture, transference, counter transference, and vicarious trauma; screening to assess competence; training to orient interpreters to clinical work with forced migrants; in vivo feedback; assessments; and an appropriate place to process their experience.

This paper aims to discuss the development of a unique, grassroots, community‐based organization, Nah We Yone (NWY), designed specifically to provide support to African refugees and asylum seekers, with a history of refugee trauma, war, and human rights abuses, who have fled to the New York City area.

The paper reviews the background to, the challenges faced and the services available at NWY.

Described in this paper are the rationale for developing this type of organization; specific programs designed to promote well‐being; and various challenges faced and lessons learned, while offering an alternate type of therapeutic intervention.

NWY demonstrates the importance of drawing on cultural and community strengths and resilience when using limited resources to serve traumatized and displaced peoples who are struggling to adjust to a new cultural setting.

This paper seeks to contribute to the literature on culturally informed therapeutic interventions developed by community‐based organizations to enhance well being in forced migrants.