“Therapy of the soul”: learning how to participate in minoritized language research

Abstract This article analyses the participatory dynamics and methodological challenges of engaging the Moldavian Csángó community in co-created linguistic research through the “Therapy of the soul” project. Using participatory research as a framework, the study explores how storytelling and memory-sharing in a non-hierarchical setting fostered collaboration among researchers and local participants. The Csángó community, often portrayed through essentialist narratives of linguistic and cultural “relics”, actively redefined their identity through shared emotional experiences. We highlight how the Therapy of the soul project navigated the tension between participatory ideals and implicit hierarchies in research, with researchers balancing roles as facilitators, co-participants, and vulnerable contributors. The findings underscore the transformative potential of participatory research in creating methodologically rich points that illuminate power dynamics, language ideologies, and identity construction. Ultimately, the Therapy of the soul project provides a novel perspective on participatory research as an emotional, community-based practice fostering mutual discovery and support.