Promoting peace by integrating Western and indigenous healing in treating trauma.

Abstract

This article examines mechanisms of healing trauma that allow not only for redressing violence but also for the promotion of conditions for peace. The integration of Western and indigenous South African systems of healing is explored by means of 3 illustrative case examples. This article argues that indigenous healing systems, located within African cosmology, can act to complement and supplement conventional Western psychotherapeutic interventions. In promoting a holistic approach to dealing with trauma, indigenous healing practices may reach underresoureed communities and create the conditions for personal and community integration. It is argued that a greater appreciation of the therapeutic processes embodied in many naturally occurring support systems will allow for the enhancement of healing practices. Such interventions should be fostered as a means of freeing individuals and communities from the psychological scars of violence and providing the impetus toward building a culture of peace.