Preface Introduction 1. An Overview of Therapies - Western 2. A Glimpse of Indian Psychotherapy 3. The Vedas 4. Atharva Veda-I 5. Psychotherapy in Atharva Veda 6. Ayurveda 7. Samhitas 8. Yoga 9. Yoga and Psychotherapy 10. Psychotherapy-a Synthesis of Indian and Western 11. Conclusion-Salient Features of Indian Systemsof Psychotherapy Bibliography Index

Man's search for answers to the problem of human existence has led him from soothsayers to psychotherapists. He has sought guidance on an individual and group basis. This guidance has often resulted in organized institutions of a religious, political, or philosophical nature. The major world religions presented in this book are discussed from the psychotherapeutic and mental health point of view. Many other religious systems are included as well as selected specific topics of special concern. There are three major sections in this volume. Section one includes fourteen major world religious systems. Section two includes indigenous and emergent systems such as magic, exorcism and witchcraft, and section three deals with multiple systems and includes areas of special concern to both the student of religion and human behavior. Of particular interest is the section of discussions on the role of the religious man as psychotherapist and the psychotherapist as a religious man. Other concerns deal with ethics, values, morals and psychoanalysis. This book will serve as a resource volume for students, teachers and practicing professionals in the helping professions, particularly the fields of religion and mental health.

Many factors in the world today, such as globalization and a rise in immigration, are increasing the need for mental health practitioners to acquire the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. This text will be the most comprehensive volume to address this need to date, exploring the history, philosophy, processes, and trends in counseling and psychotherapy in countries from all regions of the globe. Organized by continent and country, each chapter is written by esteemed scholars drawing on intimate knowledge of their homelands. They explore such topics as their countries’ demographics, counselor education programs, current counseling theories and trends, and significant traditional and indigenous treatment and healing methods. This consistent structure facilitates quick and easy comparisons and contrasts across cultures, offering an enhanced understanding of diversity and multicultural competencies. Overall, this text is an invaluable resource for practitioners, researchers, students, and faculty, showing them how to look beyond their own borders and cultures to enhance their counseling practices.

Psychology in India Volume IV: Theoretical and Methodological Developments is part of the periodic surveys in the major disciplines of the social sciences to assess disciplinary developments and to identify gaps in researches conducted by The Indian Council of Social Science Research. Six essays cover appraisal of the methodological developments in psychological research, efforts towards developing indigenous perspectives in psychology etc. Also psychoanalytic contributions, concerns of gender in psychological research, and some other critical perspectives are also discussed.

This volume provides a critical and reflexive view into the counselling profession in India. Counselling and psychotherapy are emergent fields in India; there is inadequate synergy between theory and practice at present, as psychotherapy and counselling practice in the field have not sufficiently informed research, and vice versa. While research on counselling, the counselling process and training, and development of counsellors is extremely vital for the growth of the profession, practitioners seldom feel the need to wear the lens of the researcher. Drawing upon primary research on counsellors and psychotherapists in different parts of India, this volume bridges this gap and discusses the personal and professional journeys of counsellors at various stages of their career, which in turn facilitates further research on counselling in India. The chapters discuss practical issues like the challenges faced by novice counsellors, which contribute to feelings of inadequacy and incompetence; synergy between the personal and professional lives of counsellors and the effect of the counselling process on the self; elements that go into training and how counselling education could be positioned and developed; the use of creative arts in therapy; and the role of school counsellors and the process of negotiating boundaries among various stakeholders in the school system. The volume also examines ethical dilemmas in the field, which have wider policy ramifications.

This fascinating book examines the place and practice of Relational Gestalt therapy (RGT) within an Indian cultural context, and how it can be applied in a group setting. The book begins by introducing the foundational concepts of Gestalt therapy (GT), namely phenomenology, field theory and dialogic existentialism. Through stories and vignettes, it then invites the reader to enter the circle of the group, a profound way of learning akin to the old Indian folk tradition of village communities sharing stories and bonding as a social group. Drawing from these narratives, the book not only elaborates on the theoretical concepts of GT, but also offers culturally sensitive guidance for Indian practitioners wishing to conduct group therapy. Written by a practitioner with over 20 years’ experience, this book will prove essential reading not only for practitioners working in India, but also for anyone with an interest in how GT can be applied in group settings in different cultural contexts.

Venturing into the widely under-explored area of Indian Psychology, this book provides coverage of the origins, scope and development in this area. The twenty-six essays in this book cover a broad spectrum of topics in Psychology and link mainstream topics that are taught in General Psychology with Indian thought. It has several renowned contributors who have covered Indian psychology's links with Yoga, Buddhism, Ayurveda, Veda and Sufi traditions. The book covers some of the most important areas that have emerged in modern psychology and will be of great value to students and teachers alike.

"Provides and in-depth analysis of Western and Eastern models of the mind and their differing perspectives"--Publisher's description.