The discourses that influence the application of the Ntu psychotherapy by psychologists based in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Abstract

The study made use of critical discourse analysis to explore how psychologists in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, talk about their practice of psychotherapy and Ntu psychotherapy in particular. The objectives of the study were to explore how psychologists define psychotherapy; to identify the type(s) of discourse which are used by psychologists in Pietermaritzburg regarding their preferred therapeutic techniques; to explore how discourses are used to promote or exclude particular psychotherapies.; to explore Pietermaritzburg psychologists‘ knowledge of the Ntu psychotherapy, and to explore Pietermaritzburg psychologists‘ position regarding the use or not of Ntu psychotherapy in their practice when working with black South African clients. The results of the study suggested that the definition of psychotherapy rests on the medical and scientific discourse and these continue to influence the choice of psychotherapeutic modalities by psychologists. None of the psychologists who participated in this study were aware of what Ntu Psychotherapy and culture was used as a resistive stance against the prevailing traditional psychotherapeutic modalities. Recommendations for training and methodology were also provided and discussed in this study.