Building a collaborative framework: a qualitative study of therapists collaborating with Curanderxs
The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice
ISSN: 1755-6228
Article publication date: 25 October 2021
Issue publication date: 17 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate psychotherapists’ perspectives on collaborations with curanderxs that may improve patient outcomes. All participants have licensed psychotherapists (marriage and family therapist, social work and psychology), between ages 40 and 60 years, and spoke both English and Spanish. They had a wide range of experience practicing in the field (5 to 33 years), the number of clients they had worked with of Mexican descent (10 to 2,000), and times they had collaborated with curanderxs (2 to 3 to more than 40). Interviews lasted 2 h.
Design/methodology/approach
Phenomenological methodology was followed in conducting interviews with eight mainstream mental health practitioners and in identifying codes and themes from the interviews.
Findings
Collaboration between psychotherapists and curanderxs is rare. Few mental health training programs provide basic information on curanderismo or on how clinicians might integrate concepts related to indigenous healing approaches into their practices or collaborate with traditional healers. Substantial mistrust between psychotherapists and curanderxs is apparent and impedes collaboration.
Originality/value
The authors believe this to be one of the first integrative models that can provide guidance to services providers who would like to collaborate with traditional healers, not only with Latinx populations but also populations that seek traditional healers for physical, psychological and spiritual healing. Based on study findings, the authors offer educational, clinical and public policy recommendations.
Keywords
Citation
Hoskins, D. and Platt, J. (2022), "Building a collaborative framework: a qualitative study of therapists collaborating with Curanderxs", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 159-177. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-05-2021-0043
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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