Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access

What psychotherapists can learn from good traditional healers?

International Conference on Positive Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

June 13-14, 2016 Philadelphia, USA

Driss Moussaoui

World Psychiatric Association & World Association of Social Psychiatry, Morocco

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother

Abstract :

Traditional practices in health care are as old as mankind itself. The faith healers were in fact the first doctors treating patients with herbal medicines (ancestor of pharmacology) and prayers, religious ceremonies (ancestor of psychotherapy). Psychotherapy was not â�?�?discoveredâ�? in the 19th Century and in the beginning of the 20th; the word was already used by Arrazi in the Middle East more than 1,000 years ago. Despite differences between the cultural backgrounds of the ancient and modern approaches to psychotherapy, psychotherapists may learn from traditional healers. Among the most important features of traditional practices is the shared cultural belief, which is part of the cultural identity. Very often, psychotherapists in low and middle income countries (LAMIC, 80% of the world population) are not consonant with the cultural background of their societies, because modern psychotherapies have been developed in â�?�?Westernâ�? countries. The work before us is to explain to the public the principles and efficacy of psychotherapy, making it part of the cultural mainstream. Even if this is done in an intensive way, it will still take two or three decades to achieve this goal. Another feature is the involvement of the family and the community, while modern psychotherapy, often, addresses the individual only. The question is how important to adapt psychotherapeutic techniques to less individualistic societies. Another feature of traditional practices is the strong paternalistic relationship, which is considered to be a bad aspect in modern psychotherapy. Notions such as transference/counter transference or therapeutic alliance need to be reassessed in the light of real life in LAMIC. Georges Devereux in the 60s and 70s of last century tried to bridge the gap, but this path has been forgotten since. Clinical examples will be given for each of the issues discussed.

Biography :

Email: drissm49@gmail.com