Racial, ethnic, cultural, and national disparities in counseling and psychotherapy outcome are inevitable but eliminating global mental health disparities with indigenous healing is not.
Challenging assumptions
This article challenges the assumption that counselling and psychotherapy are scientifically sound, universal treatment practices with worldwide applicability that transcend national and cultural boundaries.
Contextual model
Building on a contextual model, this article argues that those living in non-Western countries or living in Western countries but are less acculturated to dominant Western norms may find counselling and psychotherapy practices culturally incongruent.
Alternative approaches
While the extent to which counselling and psychotherapy, even when culturally adapted, is suitable depends on the individual. If individuals do not ascribe to the cultural meanings and real visions underlying Western institutions of counselling and psychotherapy, alternative approaches may be needed.
Comment:
This article ties into important debates in the wider development/humanitarian sphere around localisation and decolonisation and challenges assumptions inherent in the field of faith-sensitive MHPSS. It also has important practical implications for organisations and actors delivering MHPSS in humanitarian contexts as it highlights a need for a contextual model of counselling and psychotherapy.
