Teaching in cultural psychiatry: towards a decolonial attitude.

Abstract

Introduction: This essay is based on the teaching experience of theTranscultural Psychiatry Program at the University of São Paulo (ProSol,Programa de Psiquiatria Transcultural da Universidade de São Paulo) and on theoretical foundations in the field of cultural psychiatry. Objective: To highlight the importance of teaching cultural psychiatry for the training of psychiatry residents. Results: Brazilian psychiatry, throughout its history, was marked by the incorporation of knowledge from developed countries with little concern for the Brazilian reality. The teaching of cultural aspects, in the psychiatric field, makes it possible to reactivate the importance of Brazilian reality and specificity for the teaching of residents. Conclusion: The central thesis of this essay is that the teaching of cultural psychiatry is a form of decolonization of teaching, insofar as it makes psychiatrists more apt to face the different clinical scenarios in a diverse country full of contradictions such as Brazil.