Integrating Traditional Religio-Cultural healing into Counselling and Psychotherapy with Punjabi Sikh Clients in North America
Keywords:
counselling with Punjabi Sikhs, psychotherapy with Punjabi SikhsAbstract
Because available counselling and psychotherapy services in India and abroad are predominantly based on Western approaches with little to no incorporation of Eastern philosophies, Indian cultural customs, and religious traditions, counselling and psychotherapy are not usually seen as a culturally consistent option for many Punjabi Sikhs, especially those born in India. What is most needed to increase fit and effectiveness is cultural and religious adaptation - a more flexible approach that allows for the integration of Sikh and Punjabi healing understandings and resources into counselling and psychotherapy. Without critical appreciation of religio-cultural influences, mental health professionals risk imposing cultural influences, mental health professionals risk imposing Eurocentric principles to circumstances in which they are not appropriate, which can result in making culturally disrespectful demands and countering traditional systems for healing. In addition, to neglect these indigenous assets that emerge out of Punjabi and Sikh thought is to overlook important and time-tested healing resources. This article seeks to provide mental health professionals with a collection of theoretical models and tangible strategies and interventions proposed to be more congruent to the traditional Punjabi Sikh worldview. It will be useful for mental health professional with limited experience with Punjabi Sikhs, clinical supervisors, overseeing traineers providing mental health services to Punjabi Sikhs, instructors teaching cross/multi-cultural counselling/psychotherapy classes, and those wishing to develop theories or models for providing counselling and psychotherapy services to this population.
References
Ahluwalia, M. K. & Alimchandani, A. (2013). A call to integrate religious communities into practice: The case of Sikhs. The Counselling Psychologist, 41, 931-956.
Ahluwalia, M. K., Walo-Roberts, S., & Singh, A. A. (2015). Violence against women in the Sikh community. In A. J. Johnston (Ed.) Religion and men's violence against women (pp. 399-408). New York: Springer.
Ahluwalia, M. K., & Pellettiere (2010). Sikh men post-9/11:
Misidentification, discrimination, and coping. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 1, 303-314.
Ahluwalia, M. K., & Zaman, N. K. (2009). Counseling Muslims and Sikhs in a post-9/11 world. In J. G. Ponterotto, M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, and C. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (3rd ed., pp. 467-478). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications
Al Busaidi Z. Q. (2010). The concept of somatization: A cross-cultural perspective. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 10, 180– 186.
Arulmani, G. (2007). Counselling psychology in India: At the confluence of two traditions. Applied Psychology, 56, 69-82. Arulmani, G. (2009). Tradition and modernity: The cultural preparedness framework for counselling in India. In L. H. Gerstein, P. P. Heppner, S. Egisdottir, A. L. & Seung, K. L., & Norsworthy, (Eds.). International handbook of cross-cultural counselling: Cultural assumptions and practices worldwide (pp. 251- 262). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Bedi, R. P., & Domene, J. D. (2015). Canada: The case of Kamalpreet. In R. Moodley, M. Lengyell, R. Wu, and W. P. Gielen (Eds), Therapy without borders: Bridging counseling and psychotherapy across cultures (pp. 141-148). American Counseling Association: Washington, DC.
Christopher, J. C., Wendt, D. C., Marecek, J., & Goodman, D. M. (2014). Critical cultural awareness: Contributions to a globalizing psychology. American Psychologist, 69, 645-655. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0036851.
Dhillon, K. (2015). Acculturation, spirituality and counseling Sikh men living in Britain. In G. Nolan & W. West (Eds), Therapy, culture and spirituality (pp. 188-207). New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Foskett, J., Marriott,, J. & Wilson-Rudd, F. (2004). Mental health, religion and spirituality: attitudes, experience and expertise among mental health professionals and religious leaders in Somerset. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 7, 5-22.
Gallup. (2009). Religiosity highest in world's poorest nations: Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/142727/Religiosity-Highest-World-Poorest-Nations.aspx
Hans, S. L, K.N., &: Coursey, R. D. (1995) Spirituality and serious mental illness: A two-part study. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 18, 93-111.
Hart Research Associates (2015). Sikhism in the United States: What Americans need to know. Retrieved from http://hartresearch.com/sikhism-in-the-united-states-what-americans-know-and-need-to-know/
Horne, S. G. & Arora, K. S. (2013). Feminist multicultural counseling psychology in transnational contexts. In E. N. Williams, & C. Z. Enns (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of feminist multicultural counseling psychology (pp. 240-252). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jayakar, K. (1994). Women of the Indian Sub-continent. In L. Comas- Díaz, & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of color: Integrating ethnic and
gender identities in psychotherapy (pp. 161-181). New York: Guilford Press.
Levitt, H. M., & Piazza-Bonin, E. (2016). Wisdom and psychotherapy: Studying expert therapists' clinical wisdom to explicate common processes. Psychotherapy Research, 26, 31-47.
Mani, P. S. (2005). Perception of supports and barriers: Career decision-making for Sikh Indo-Canadian young women entering the social sciences. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 39,
-211
Morjoria-Keval, A. (2006). Religious and spiritual elements of change in Sikh men with alcohol problems: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 5, 91-118
Nayar, K. E. (2004). The Sikh diaspora in Vancouver: Three generations amid tradition, modernity, and multiculturalism. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
Nayar, K. E., & Sandhu, J. S. (2006). Intergenerational communication in immigrant Punjabi families: Implications for helping
professionals. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 28, 139-152
Neki, J. S. (1973). Guru-Chela relationship: The possibility of a
therapeutic paradigm. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 43, 755-
Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (2011). Religion. Retrieved from
http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_And_You/religion.aspx.
Panganamala, D. R., & Plummer, D. L. (1998). Attitudes toward counseling among Asian Indians in the United States. Cultural Diversity and Mental Health, 4, 55-63.
Rajghatta, C. (2006, September 11). Sikhs, Muslims bore the brunt of 9/11 backlash. Times of India. Retrieved from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Sikhs-Muslims- bore-the-brunt-of-9/11-backlash/articleshow/1980135.cms
Rana, R. & Sihota, S. (2012). Counselling in the Indo-Canadian community. In M. del Carmen, M. H. France, & G. G. Hett (Eds.), Diversity, culture and counselling: A Canadian perspective (2nded., pp. 114-137). Calgary, AB: Brush Education. Sandhu, J. S. (2004). The Sikh model of the person, suffering, and healing: Implications for counsellors. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 26, 33-46.
Sandhu, J. S. (2005). A Sikh perspective on life-stress: Implications for counselling. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 39, 40-51.
Sandhu, J. S. (2009). A Sikh perspective on alcohol and drugs: Implications for the treatment of Punjabi-Sikh patients. Sikh Formations, 5, 23-37.
Sembhi, S., & Dein, S. (1998). The use of traditional healers by Asian psychiatric patients in the UK: A pilot study. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 1, 127-133.
Shariff, A. (2009). Ethnic identity and parenting stress in South Asian families: Implications for culturally sensitive counselling. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 43, 35-46.
Singh, K. (2008). The Sikh spiritual model of counselling. Spirituality and Health International, 9, 32-43.
Sue, D. W., Bernier, J. E., Durran, A., Feinberg, L., Pedersen, P., Smith, E. J., & Vasquez-Nuttall, E. (1982). Position paper: Cross-cultural counseling competencies. The Counseling Psychologist, 10, 45-52. doi.org/10.1177/0011000082102008
Sue, D., & Sue, D. M. (2008). Multicultural counselling theory. In D. Sue & D. M. Sue, Foundations of counselling and psychotherapy:Evidence-based practices for a diverse society (pp. 245-262). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.
Syed, S. N., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. J., & Verma, V. (2012). British and Indian attitudes toward 'Western' counselling: A quantitative comparative study. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 25, 63-72. Thandi, G. (2011). Reducing substance abuse and intimate partner violence in Punjabi Sikh communities. Sikh Formations, 7, 177- 193.
