D.Litt. et Phil. / Philosophies of health care in South Africa tend to be based on either the medical approach or traditional healing. Psychology and psychotherapy, which occupy a niche within the greater health care system, are similarly predisposed. Focusing mainly on psychotherapy / healing, this research sets out to make some sense of the converging and diverging elements of these two broad systems. The research covers Western healing by exploring the roots of psychotherapy from the earliest written records until the late nineteenth century. A similar exercise is undertaken as regards traditional healing, whose origins are examined by speculating on shamanic healing practices which date back to the furthest reaches of human history. Next contemporary traditional healing in Africa is explored in regard to the cosmology and methodologies of healers. The African anthropological worldview in relation to health and mental health are reviewed, giving special emphasis to the elements of spirituality intrinsic to the approach. The spiritual component is then reviewed in regard to Western psychotherapy in the form of Transpersonal psychotherapy, which has become increasingly prevalent in the last decade. In tying them together, it is noted that most ancient forms of healing are directly linked to the most recent contemporary forms. In order to better understand the processes of modern practitioners, several healers and therapists across the ethnic spectrum were interviewed. Using semi-structured interview techniques followed by a phenomenological analysis, the data was divided into 50 meaning clusters and then rationalised into 10 themes most pertinent to the direction of this project. The ten extracted themes were: Western Models: The effectiveness, use, limitations, and suggestions regarding amendments to Western therapeutic approaches. Therapist Ethnicity: The experiences of Black and White therapists in practice, in regard to ethnic issues. Knowledge of Traditional Healers: The knowledge that Black and White therapists had about the worldview and methodologies of traditional healers. Traditional Healing Scope: The types of problems addressed by traditional healing. Traditional Healing Methods: The techniques and methods employed by traditional healers. Ancestors : The relationship, powers and beliefs about ancestors held by traditional healers and Black therapists. Cosmology: The South African worldview as expressed by traditional healers and Black therapists. Traditional Healing: Miscellaneous Aspects of traditional healing which were relevant but did not fall into other themes. Client Relationship: The nature of the relationship required for effective traditional healing and therapy. Therapist training: The effectiveness, use, limitations, and suggestions regarding amendments to therapy training. Each of the above themes are discussed in detail and the participants’ views on aspects such as training and the approaches to therapy and healing are extracted. The research ends by attempting to draw all the previous information together and give tentative answers to the research question. It is argued that the most fundamental link between psychotherapy and healing takes place in regard to the ‘common factors’ or contextual elements in therapy and healing. In order to make psychotherapy more relevant to Black South Africans, several recommendations are suggested, among them the Africanisation of therapeutic approaches that take into account the practical circumstances of most prospective clients. In addition it is argued that therapy can be more synergistic with healing by drawing on its intrinsic features of spirituality and reconnection. It is also suggested that additional research impetus be given to the development of African models of psychology and therapy. It is not envisaged that Western models will need to be rewritten from scratch, but rather that the particular circumstances of Africa are taken into account.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:14669 |
| Date | 12 November 2008 |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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