International Journal of Traditional Healing and Critical Mental Health

Ancient Remedies for Aging Minds: Ayurveda in the Management of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mythri Rajeswara Babu — 2025-12-20

Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, views mental health as a balance between body, mind, and spirit. It attributes mental disorders (Manasika Roga) to imbalances in the three doshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—along with disruptions in the gunas: sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia). Age-related neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are seen not merely as biological decline but as consequences of aggravated Vata dosha and depletion of Ojas (vital essence). Therapeutic strategies in Ayurveda aim to restore equilibrium through diet (Ahara), lifestyle practices (Dinacharya), herbal remedies (e.g., Ashwagandha, Brahmi), detoxification (Panchakarma), and mind-body techniques such as Abhyanga, Shirodhara, and meditation. These interventions are believed to support cognitive health, slow neural degeneration, and enhance resilience. Modern research supports many of these practices, showing that Ayurvedic herbs possess neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. While contemporary treatments often use a reductionist model, Ayurveda’s systems-based approach may offer a valuable complementary framework for managing neurodegenerative diseases by addressing interconnected physiological and psychological processes.

God and religion in mental health recovery: Perspectives of people with Schizophrenia and their family members, and mental health professionals in India and Australia

Srinivasan Tirupati — 2025-12-20

Beliefs in god and religion and associated practices were related to recovery outcomes for people with mental illnesses like Schizophrenia. Treatment programs for people with mental health issues must understand their orientation to god and religion. This paper reports a thematic analysis of individual in-depth interviews that explored the participants' experiences and opinions regarding the role of god and religion in the recovery of people with Schizophrenia. The study involved 120 participants made up of people with Schizophrenia (PwS), their caregiving family members and mental health professionals living in India and Australia, the former predominantly Hindu and the latter predominantly Christian. Four themes emerged from the analysis. Two themes described the beneficial effects, and one related to the lack of relevance and harmful effects of god and religion on recovery. The fourth theme discussed the role of god, religious institutions, and the risks and benefits of religious or faith healing in the treatment. These themes featured the statements of participants from both countries. The Indian participants, in particular, discussed a model of care called the Dava (Medicines)-Dua (Prayer), where medical treatment is provided at the religious healing centres in an environment that facilitates the consumer's beliefs and practices related to god and religion. Such a collaborative model of care will provide a safe and effective culturally sensitive model of care, especially for people who have limited access to mental health services.

Radical Wholeness: Depth Psychological Healing in IKS

Raghu Anantanarayanan — 2025-12-20

This paper explores the fundamental concepts and healing methods within Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), particularly as they relate to yoga and Upanishadic philosophy. As the ultimate aim of healing, it presents the idea of radical wholeness (svāsthyaň), a state of profound psychological, emotional, and spiritual integration. The paper explores the philosophical framework of IKS in four dimensions: ontology (the nature of being), epistemology (the methods of knowing), axiology (the value systems), and praxeology (the principles of right action). It draws on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Upanishads, and Ayurvedic thought. It challenges the shortcomings of Western scientific paradigms that reduce the psyche to quantifiable phenomena and suggests an all-encompassing model based on the inner journey of the self and caturděṣṭi (the four lenses of knowledge). The paper traces a clear path from a fragmented, afflicted mind (vyutthita citta) to an anchored, luminous state of wholeness, the tranquil mind (samāhita citta), using the story of Bỹgu and the five kośa-s (sheaths of being). Additionally, it describes the stages of Yogic practice, which culminate in transformative awareness and jīvanmukti (liberated living), from deep inner inquiry (antarāṅga sādhanā) to outer discipline (bahiraṅga sādhanā). The authors present Citta Vidyā, a contemporary synthesis that revitalises the therapeutic potential of IKS by fusing ideas from depth psychology, performing arts, and experiential processes. The paper invites a reorientation toward inner stillness, dharma, and conscious living, offering a compelling vision of human flourishing that goes beyond symptom reduction.

Risk or Protective Factor? Marianismo as a Determinant of Mexican Women's Mental and Reproductive Health

Sofia Andrade Lara — 2025-12-20

Women's mental health in Mexico is profoundly influenced by marianismo, a traditional ideal exalting the "perfect mother" as selfless and sacrificial. This article analyzes marianismo's paradoxical impact as a risk or protective factor on Mexican women's mental and reproductive health. As a risk factor, its demand for self-denial is linked to high mental health vulnerability, reflected in a prenatal depression prevalence of 20.3% in Mexico City. Furthermore, this ideal contributes to the high prevalence of obstetric violence, affecting up to one in three women. New evidence suggests that the persistence of this violence signals the inefficacy of current legal mechanisms for protecting women's autonomy. Conversely, marianismo acts as a protective factor in some contexts, fostering social legitimacy, belonging, and a crucial sense of life purpose, dimensions which are recognized as significant factors of resilience against mental distress. This duality highlights that the pillars of family and spirituality correlate with fulfillment, while chastity, silence, and subordination relate to higher rates of depression and anxiety. The analysis advocates for moving beyond the biomedical model toward culturally sensitive, decolonial healthcare strategies that mitigate the harmful extremes of marianismo while leveraging its community and resilience-enhancing dimensions.

Therapeutic Interventions for Grief and Bereavement: Efficacy, Stages, and Clinical Approaches

Iranna Ronad — 2025-12-20

Keywords: Grief, Bereavement, Counseling, Psychotherapy, Mourning

Grief and bereavement have a significant impact on mental, emotional, and social well-being, especially in collectivistic cultures such as India, where strong familial connections amplify the distress associated with loss. This manuscript examines the effectiveness of various grief counseling interventions, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Group Therapy (GT), Art Therapy (AT), and Play Therapy (PT). The investigation utilizes a mixed-methods approach, incorporating randomized controlled trials alongside qualitative phenomenological studies. The research is conducted among a diverse range of Indian populations, including youth, the elderly, and individuals from both rural and urban settings. Standardized measures, such as the Grief Experience Inventory, and thematic analysis are employed to assess symptom alleviation and cultural factors. The findings indicate that peer-led counseling is effective in reducing grief symptoms, while non-traditional therapies cater to the needs of various groups. However, limitations are noted, including a lack of empirical depth, insufficient training for counselors (with only 33% feeling adequately prepared), and a deficiency in neurobiological understanding. The manuscript recommends the pursuit of longitudinal studies, the establishment of standardized training programs, the exploration of digital interventions, and the development of culturally sensitive strategies to address emerging forms of grief (such as ecological and collective grief) and the challenges posed by the post-COVID-19 bereavement, thereby improving accessibility and effectiveness in grief counseling practices in India.

Editorial

Anuradha Sathiyaseelan — 2025-12-20