“Something in our hearts”: challenges to mental health among urban Mayan women in post‐war Guatemala

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the long‐term mental health consequences of war from the perspectives of urban Mayan women in post‐war Guatemala.Design/methodology/approachEthnographic methodologies, namely participant observation and in‐depth qualitative interviews were carried out during 12 months of fieldwork in Guatemala City.FindingsThe findings indicate that urban indigenous women confront a range of unresolved war‐related traumas and psychosocial distress that require specific attention by researchers, policy makers and service providers. It is argued that psychosocial interventions aimed at addressing the traumas of war must take into account present day conditions of post‐war violence, poverty, and social inequity that threaten the health and well‐being of indigenous peoples.Practical implicationsRecommendations are provided for promoting the mental health of urban indigenous women affected by war.Originality/valueResearch that has been conducted on the mental health effects of war has tended to focus on rural areas of the country. This article advances the research on post‐war Guatemala through a focus on urban Mayan indigenous women.