Psychic retreats in other places: Clients who seek healing with traditional healers and psychotherapists1

Abstract

Since the beginning of time, people have been using a range of healing practices to resolve health and mental health concerns. Among these are the traditional healing practices which appear to be growing among immigrant communities in the West, for example, Yoga, Ayurveda, Astrology, Voodoo, Santeria; and, the newer forms, viz., Maat, Morita therapy, Naikan therapy, and many others. These indigenous healing methods seem to address some of the many shortcomings of conventional health care and are practiced in conjunction with, and at times in the place of, modern Western forms. It seems that including two different health care modalities is possible since competing and contradictory cures can be held alongside each other without creating conflict in the client. This paper discusses traditional and cultural healers and healing in non-Western countries and those practices that are engaged with in the diaspora. The paper also considers the use of traditional healing alongside Western counselling and psychotherapy -dual interventions. Finally, the paper explores several strategies that counsellors could undertake when working with ethnic minority clients, particularly those clients who also enter into dual relationships with traditional healers.

The meaning of acceptance (Thum‐jai) in Thai people: Letting it go…so life goes on

“…). Moreover, other complementary, alternative, or integrative therapies should not be discounted, including indigenous healing practices among various cultures (Moodley & Sutherland ).…”

Cultural competency in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: practitioner guidelines

“…Other than mainstream religions, there are also alternative healing practices that are connected to mental health, as many groups have introduced their approaches to health and wellbeing into Western culture through immigration and globalization. Often referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), these approaches may include Ayurveda, yoga, herbal medicine, acupuncture, Voodoo, astrology, Santeria, and new age therapies (Moodley and Sutherland, 2010), as well as traditional Chinese medicine (Liu, 1981), meditation (Neki, 1973) and/or shamanism (Metzner, 1998). Clinicians should be prepared to discuss the role of traditional medicine and CAM in the client's treatment.…”

“…It is also important to note that both clients who are and are not religiously scrupulous may endorse traditional approaches to healing, such as yoga, Ayurveda, astrology, Voodoo, Santeria, Qi-gong and Sahaja, (Moodley and Sutherland, 2010), as well as traditional Chinese medicine (Liu, 1981), meditation (Neki, 1973), and/or shamanism (Metzner, 1998). Clients may also identify with traditions that have a long history of sacralizing entheogenic plants such as the Santo Daime tradition of Brazil (Blainey, 2015).…”

Conceptualising mental health in the United Arab Emirates: the perspective of traditional healers

“…Moodley and Sutherland (2010) argue that the plurality of cultural conceptualisations pertaining to health and illness render any notions of universal applicability or superiority ill founded. Individuals' experience of a mental health problem, their response to it and how others view them will all be profoundly influenced by the sociocultural context (Teuton, Bentall, & Dowrick, 2007).…”