There are many ways in which a psychosocial evaluation can strengthen a client’s asylum or other type of immigration case. Listed below are a few:
- Corroboration of a client’s story by an outside source
- Provide detailed explanation of a client’s mental and emotional state that can help to explain any unusual behaviors in court such as withdrawal.
- Helping to establish the client as a reliable source of information by providing expert assessment of their credibility.
- Explanation of any inconsistencies in the client’s story – for example, victims of crimes sometimes block out the event and have great difficulty recalling details related to the event, which can make the client seem unreliable. Shame can also play a factor, as sometimes a client does not want to admit to what has happened to them.
- Humanize the people involved in the case by providing a more personal account of the client’s life and impacts on themselves and their family members if client is deported.
- In talking with the therapist about their situation, the client can become more open to speaking in court and to other professionals involved in their case.
- Because of the clinician’s expertise in talking to clients about highly personal life events , the therapist is sometimes able to ascertain information from a client that the client did not reveal to the attorney.
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