Dialogues of healing in the management of psychosocial health challenges in an indigenous KhoiSan community
Abstract
During the researcher's experiential learning in the KhoiSan community, it was noted that this community deals with various psychosocial challenges, despite the fact that there is no nurse, councillor or therapist in this community. Psychosocial challenges evident in the community are based on substance abuse related, relationship stressors, work-related issues, and child and adolescent stressors, however not limited to the mentioned. On enquiry the researcher was informed about the dialogues or conversations of healing the KhoiSan use to manage these challenges. On these grounds, the researcher embarked on a qualitative research where therapeutic merits of these dialogues of healing were explored in this African indigenous community. This was achieved with three specific objectives where firstly the researcher explored the phenomenon; elucidated the benefits; and lastly intended revitalization of the practice. African Indigenous Health Research Framework (AIHRF) was employed, guided by the principles of Ubuntu where the importance of respecting the heritage of the KhoiSan community is upheld. Where a Classical African Indigenous qualitative research methodology was used. Consequently, the researcher embarked on a culturally-collaborative process with the KhoiSan community, where the community is the author and the researcher is the co-author of the exploration of their own psychosocial health resolution. As a result, a generic approach emerged, where it was found that who is saying what to whom, when, as well as why and how they are saying it forms the centre of the merits of dialogues in management of psychosocial challenges.
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- Health Sciences [2060]