Traditional healers as therapists? Inside South Africa’s mental health crisis | MINDSET | EP 5

Across Africa, healers have been part of the social fabric for centuries.

During ceremonies, they use traditional medicine, rituals and supernatural guidance from ancestral spirits to improve people’s mental health.

Once maligned as "witch doctors", these healers are now seen by South African psychologists as vital across a country where there is a severe shortage of trained therapists.

They say healers can help with mild depressive disorders such as anxiety and grief.

Due to accessibility and affordability, healers are increasingly popular, especially among the young.

Mindset meets three healers and examines how they can help address Africa’s mental health crisis.

Credits:
Presenter and Series Producer: Drew Ambrose
Producers: Kathy Hearn, Tiyani Madonsela, Liz Gooch
Cinematographer and Drone Operator: Lee Ali
Production Manager: Susanna Low
Digital Producer: Hasham Cheema
Opening Titles: The Bureau
Theme Music: Vicki Hansen
Picture Editor: Andy Mees
Supervising Producer: Nick Olle
Executive Producer: Sharon Roobol


@AljazeeraEnglish
#Aljazeeraenglish
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[aljazeeraenglish]

Al Jazeera's new and thought-provoking series, Mindset, asks big questions about how we can improve our wellbeing. In Episode 5, Mindset meets South Africa's spiritual healers and examines how they can help address Africa’s mental health crisis.

[karabokgoleng]

We are living in incredibly difficult times so anything that gets you through life is okay as long as no harm is done. Unfortunately, a major aspect of mental illness that is often overlooked, is that it's socially produced. You can't have healthy people when there is glaring inequality.

[CJ-xgpf]

Witch doctor is a derogatory term...They refer them as traditional healers

[shamandi]

Why modern medicine which is 150 years old is called traditional medicine? And why medicine that has helped people for thousands of years is called alternative? Thanks for this wonderful story. The World is waking up!

[ReginaJune]

5:57 pretty much they use plant medicine, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy and the prayers are powerful because sometimes you need more than just yourself to overcome challenges- western treatment centers use the same stuff and bill insurance $25k a week for it.

[kagisopule]

i always say we are sick because we have detached from mother nature but just because we have detached from mother nature it does not mean mother nature has detached from us, shes always calling us back to get healing

[tebogoharry]

We South africans are very connected with the Astral dimension, the dimension of which souls pass to after separating with the body or its vehicle. We commune strongly with desincarnated souls residing within that plane. It's part of the phenomena we experience in our reality.

[niks]

Traditions ALWAYS works ....since time began....fore fathers depended on it and were so strong.

[moelmangoegape]

Thank you so much Drew for showing light to our traditional doctors❤❤

[carolsmind]

We need to speak about the spiritual damage and chaos that colonisation brings.

[phumlanindlovu]

yes true as a person raised in Christianity, I believe African spirituality has been demonised by the coloniser💯💯💯

[Kismet-Nights]

السودان 🇸🇩
—
"يشهد السودان كارثة إنسانية ذات أبعاد ملحمية.

يمر الأطفال بكابوس حقيقي. فالسودان بلد فتي جدا و24 مليون من سكانه هم من الأطفال الذين يعانون من الأثر المدمر لهذه الحرب. الأطفال لا يتسببون في الحروب والصراعات، ولكنهم في نهاية المطاف يتحملون العبء الأكبر لهذه الأعمال العدائية.
وهذا هو الواقع في السودان. 14 مليونا من هؤلاء الأطفال في حاجة ماسة إلى المساعدة المنقذة للحياة في مجالات الصحة والتغذية والتعلم والمياه ودعم الحماية".

-- ممثلة اليونيسف في السودان تحذر من أن مستقبل أكثر من 24 مليون طفل سوداني في خطر بسبب الكارثة الإنسانية "ذات الأبعاد الملحمية" التي تعصف بالبلاد منذ اندلاع الحرب في نيسان/أبريل من العام الماضي
😊
🙏🏻

[paulaliberty]

They are also Cultural Stewards. Preserving languages & plant knowledge.

[Kismet-Nights]

فلسطين 🇵🇸
—
"قائمة المواد الممنوع دخولها إلى غزة تشمل إمدادات طبية لعلاج الأمراض المزمنة، مثل حقن إنسولين الأطفال. نجري مشاورات مع السلطات الإسرائيلية لبحث هذا الأمر".

مسؤول الشؤون الإنسانية في فلسطين يقول إن الأزمة الإنسانية في غزة بلغت نطاقا لم نشهده من قبل.
😊
🙏🏻

[whawha]

It's sort of funny that the young woman who studies Psychology doesn't believe in Psychology herself!😅😅

[andreluiz]

Recently, I have been reflecting on the experience of Ayahuasca as therapy.

[ahmedmohanned]

Research INFJ personality type, Nelson Mandela was one, the soul is seperate from the body, Carl Jung & Swami Rama both greatest doctors proved this !

[henda]

We are living in the last days, traditional healers do exist but it's just that there's alot of fake healers now

[eduseid]

U South Africans deserve moral leadership that has been bestowed by freedom sprite emanated by MADIBA the great and faithful leaders following him.

[tave-ew]

thank you fo diz, al jazeera.
🥰🤩😘

totally fascinatin', jellybean.
'we need to teach each other'
amen to dat.
combinin' psychology and traditional healin' --- defo mah vibe. nyohohohohohoho.
also i think da most important thing is da acknowledgement if someone is sufferin' from mental health issues.
der is nothin' to be ashamed 'bout it.
and dat der is help.
💖💎🌟🤗🌷💯💕