Cross Cutting Issues in the Practice of Psychotherapy in Nigeria

Abstract

The need to bridge the gap between western based psychotherapeutic intervention and African psychotherapeutic interventions is the main objective of this paper. In order to do this, cross cutting issues in psychotherapy in Nigeria were reviewed. This review covered socio cultural, economic conditions and other contemporary issues such as child maltreatment, HIV/AIDS, chronic illness, terrorism and the impact of western civilization on Nigerian culture and how it has produced a heterogeneous Nigerian society described as westernized, traditional and transitional types of Nigerians. Also salient peculiarities that must be taken into consideration in bridging the gap between western and African based psychotherapy were identified. Some of these salient peculiarities were adumbrated and they include frequent somatic complaints of psychological origin, beliefs in spirits including ancestral spirits, independent spirits and the supreme spirit God to whom duties are owed to keep the moral order. Given this situation the authors expressed uncertainty in the use of western diagnostic illness categories. Also an attempt was made to describe traditional methods of treatment such as the popular prayer houses and traditional healers. From lessons learnt based on these cross cutting issues the authors reported the development of Harmony Restoration Therapy and Meseron treatment frameworks as attempts at indigenizing western psychotherapeutic methods. From these they proposed the way forward as a cultural blend through using culture based psychotherapeutic framework. This they suggest can be applied in other societies.