Abstract
This paper exposes the status of psy cultures in Colombia. It is shown how the country's official health system has transformed biomedical psychiatry and cognitive behavioral psychology into the dominant and hegemonic psy culture. However, far from being hegemonic, as presented, both serve to foster and sustain the existence of different "religious" or "sacred" therapeutic systems and practices that denaturalize human existential and psychological suffering. In general, the latter are ritual practices with a strong spiritualist, anti-materialist and antimonist content, that deal freely with a wide range of cosmologies, beliefs and symbols, even including the same concepts and practices of a biomedical origin. The result is a hyper-ritualization of daily life in the country.
Highlights
This paper exposes the status of psy cultures in Colombia
It seeks to discuss the paradox that characterizes the status of psy cultures in Colombia
Second aspect of the paradox: according to Jorge Luis Borges (1994, p.368) in his publication “El Etnógrafo,” science – our so-called “science” – is a mere frivolity. It is a frivolity because psychiatric science and its partner psychology, far from being hegemonic as they are usually presented, foster and sustain a multiplicity of therapeutic and support systems and practices that provide assistance to those needing solace and relief from their personal afflictions
Summary
This paper exposes the status of psy cultures in Colombia. It is shown how the country’s official health system has transformed biomedical psychiatry and cognitive behavioral psychology into the dominant and hegemonic psy culture. First aspect of the paradox: the country’s official health care system has ensured that biomedical psychiatry and its psychotherapeutic ally – cognitive-behavioral psychology – have become the dominant and hegemonic psy culture.
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