Third world or one world: Mysticism, pragmatism, and pain in family therapy in South Africa

Abstract

The development of psychological services for South Africa's 30 million black people has been stunted by the mystical view, allegedly derived from cross-cultural psychology, that 'first-world' psychology is culturally inappropriate for a 'third-world clientele', and that for effective service delivery, psychologists must undergo a radical acculturation process before they can join with the epistemology of this clientele. A theoretical base is developed to challenge the simplistic and desocialized notions of culture and race advanced by the crosscultural mystics, and to propose a pragmatic alternative by drawing attention to the dynamics of oppression and cultural transformation, and to issues of power and social class. It is argued that empowerment in the process of psychotherapy lies in creating a shared language of negotiation and respect which in turn allows for the appropriate use of a problem-oriented family therapy model.Die ontwikkeling van sielkundige dienste vir Suid-Afrika se 30 miljoen swart mense is belemmer deur die mistieke siening, wat sogenaamd vanuit die kruis-kulturele sielkunde ontwikkel is, dat 'eerste wereld' sielkunde kultureel ontoepaslik is vir 'derde wereld kliente'. Daar word voorts ook beweer dat sielkundiges 'n radikale akkulturasieproses moet ondergaan voordat hulle hul met die epistemologie van hul kliente kan identifiseer om sodoende effektiewe dienste te lewer. 'n Teoretiese basis word ontwikkel aan die hand waarvan die simplistiese en gedesosialiseerde begrippe van kultuur en ras wat deur die kruis-kulturele mistici gepropageer word, tot verantwoording geroep word. Eweneens word daar aan die hand van hierdie basis 'n pragmatiese alternatief voorgestel deur die aandag te vestig op die dinamika van onderdrukking en kulturele transformasie en ook op sake wat verband hou met mag en sosiale klas. Daar word betoog dat die bemagtiging ('empowerment') in die psigoterapeutiese proses daarin gelee is om 'n gedeelde taal van onderhandeling en respek te skep wat weer op sy beurt die toepaslike benutting van 'n probleem-georienteerde gesinsterapie model moontik maak.

Apartheid in South Africa: Toward a model of psychological intervention

“…Seedat & Nell (1990) suggest that rather than weakening clients by making them passive recipients of treatment, counselling and psychotherapy demands that clients draw on their own resources as a precondition for change, which is itself an empowering process. Consequently, 'the psychologist is thus a potential "liberator" who, by virtue of his or her profession's seeming weakness and inability to dispense the magic of the medical profession, is paradoxically able to bestow strength' (Seedat & Nell,p.…”

Principles in the Development of Religious and Moral Education in South African Schools

“…6 Many of their findings are confirmed by the work of Nokuzola Mndende. 7 In interviews with parents, teachers, pupils and religious leaders she asked whether it was desirable to include African Religion in syllabuses for religious education, and how this could be done.…”

Critical psychology and the problem of mental health

“…(Nell, 1989). As a result, months or years may go by before vacant posts for psychologists are advertised or filled (see also Mgoduso & Butchart, 1992;Miller & Swartz, 1990;Nell, 1989Nell, , 1990Nell, , 1992Seedat & Nell, 1990Swartz, 1989Swartz, , 1991.…”