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What We Can Learn From Shamanic Healing: Brief Psychotherapy With Latino Immigrant Clients
What We Can Learn From Shamanic Healing: Brief Psychotherapy With Latino Immigrant Clients
1576 | Views on Complementary and Alternative Medicine | Peer Reviewed | Dobkin de Rios American Journal of Public Health | October 2002, Vol 92, No. 10
VIEWS ON COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
of humankind,9 having been in PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC an eagle. The therapist tells the acts, and disruptive behavior all
existence for more than 99% of DERIVATIVES FROM client that he or she can relax at respond quickly to positive rein-
our existence as a species. In SHAMANIC HEALING will, anywhere and any time. The forcement and ignoring the
particular, the term has been client is all-powerful, like the bird childs minor behaviors.
applied to hunters and gather- If we turn to contemporary or animal. (The eagle is an im- Within 1 hour, the therapist
ers from the Pleistocene period psychotherapy, the lesson is portant symbol in Mexican cul- and parents together can teach a
onward. Most shamans have clear. Hypnosis is a very power- ture, found on the flag; it evokes 3- to 7-year-old child to say ex-
been men, with the very occa- ful tool that can be used with La- the Toltec prophecy of a sacred cuse me instead of constantly
sional woman becoming a sha- tino immigrants, either in English homeland to be found where an interrupting the parent. The im-
man after menopause. With the or Spanish, to create an altered eagle was seen perched on a cac- proved behavior can be main-
passing of time, other types of state of consciousness.11 In psy- tus with a snake in its beak.) The tained over time if the parents
spiritual practices and beliefs chotherapy, patients often pres- client is instructed to listen to the learn to properly reinforce it. To
developed, associated with the ent with agitation, pain, anxiety, tape during the week, often re- the parents, these results appear
advent of horticulture and then and other symptoms of distress. porting back with positive relax- magical; often, they have been
agriculture. Dates vary, but The psychotherapist can prepare ation effects. At the University of trying to change their childrens
15 000 years ago is a workable and present as an inexpensive California Burn Center, studies behavior for years. Their suc-
estimate for the origin of agri- gift (generally costing less than were conducted to show the effi- cess, in turn, leads them to have
culture. $1) a relaxation cassette tape. cacy of such altered states in faith in and admiration for the
While shamanism often gave Relaxation therapy, which can controlling pain, treating depres- therapist. This is similar to the
way to more bureaucratic reli- often be a gloss for hypnosis or sion, and helping injured workers way that shamans create trust in
gious techniques over the millen- the light trance state that allevi- suffering from posttraumatic their clients.
nia, the religion itself never actu- ates symptoms, can tone the stress disorder to return to When I was conducting field
ally disappeared; rather, it took clients parasympathetic nervous work.12,13 work with shamans in Peru in the
on new forms over time. The key system. In addition, gift-giving Turning to the second psy- late 1960s,14 one healer came to
element in shamanism is the in- enhances the therapeutic al- chotherapy techniquebehavior the outdoor healing area wearing
dividual practitioner and his liance, ensuring that the client re- modificationwe note that sha- a fine alpaca poncho that every-
client, not a congregation. The turns for future sessions. The La- manic studies are filled with de- one admired. He boasted about
shamans key behavior is to tino immigrant population is scriptions and analyses of magic how he was given this fine gar-
enter into an altered state of con- well-known for its lack of psycho- and theatricality. The Eskimo ment because of his success in
sciousness, which he induces by logical sophistication. The shaman plunges a knife into his curing a client. Shortly after-
drumming. Occasionally, he may dropout rate in psychotherapy parka. Under it, he has hidden an wards, I visited a well-known
do this by psychological practices can be very high, inhibiting the animal bladder full of blood, psychiatrist in New Yorkan es-
such as sensory overload or sen- ability of the therapist to make which spurts everywhere. The tablished author and an adminis-
sory deprivation. In some cases, effective interventions. shaman falls down, apparently trator in that states mental health
not unusual in Latin America, he Basically, the therapist enables dead, and is then resurrected in a establishmentto discuss my re-
may himself ingest plant hallu- the client to enter into an altered feat of stage magic. This attests search findings. He had a fine
cinogens or give them to his state of consciousness that is con- to his marvelous powers. townhouse on Park Avenue with
clients. ducive to healing, thus providing As a therapist, I build on this a Japanese garden at the en-
Much has been written about the client with personal control theatrical concept to explain be- trance; original Picassos adorned
the altered state of consciousness over his or her body chemistry. havior modification techniques the walls. It was hard to see any
spontaneously entered into by Moreover, a special state is estab- to parents who have difficult difference between the fine pon-
the shaman.10 He controls the lished whereby the therapists children to manage. They are cho in rural Peru and the trap-
trance state and can readily enter suggestions are more readily fol- shown a photograph of a killer pings of wealth and success in
into it at will. The altered state is lowed. In this way, the therapist whale at Sea World jumping the New York townhouse. Of
used by the shaman to predict can break down resistance and straight up into the air. This course, each example made sense
the future, to experience meta- enhance therapeutic goals. image is used to motivate par- within its own cultural matrix.
phorically a change in his shape, Personal empowerment is an ents to learn the techniques of The third lesson from shaman-
and to contact spiritual entities. important concept in hypnosis. behavior modification. If the ismcognitive restructuringfo-
These latter entities are called Calling on the presence of a pow- young trainers seen in the photo- cuses on the shamans rationality.
upon by the healer to conquer erful animalsuch as an eagle, graph can train an 8000-pound Despite his theatricality and al-
evil, negate hexes, neutralize king of its dominioncan be whale to do tricks, then getting tered states of consciousness, the
witchcraft, and restore the client metaphorically linked to the ones children to behave can eas- shaman is a rational and empiri-
to good health. shaman who perceives himself as ily be done! Whining, antisocial cal person. He combines talents
October 2002, Vol 92, No. 10 | American Journal of Public Health Dobkin de Rios | Peer Reviewed | Views on Complementary and Alternative Medicine | 1577
VIEWS ON COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
in botany, pharmaceuticals, and outside himself, coming from the bodies stretched out or their legs consciousness. J Psychoactive Drugs.
psychology. He is quick to give spirits that he controls or mas- sawed off. Therapists must not 1989;21.
advice in his healing capacity. ters. By contrast, the therapists insist that their Latino immigrant 11. Dobkin de Rios M, Friedman JK.
Pain control and systematic desensitiza-
One folk healer with whom I knowledge is represented by the clients fit into a Procrustean bed. tion inductions in Spanish for symptoms
worked, Don Hilde, lived in the quickness with which he or she Rather, they must make an effort of the post-traumatic stress disorder. In:
central Amazonian city of Pu- can associate culturally based to find techniques and use them Hammond DC, ed. Handbook of Hyp-
notic Suggestions and Metaphors. New
callpa, Peru.15,16 He diagnosed ill- proverbs and metaphors with the wisely to provide psychological York, NY: W. W. Norton; 1990.
ness as natural or supernatural in clinical issue at hand, thus de- help for the problems they are
12. Dobkin de Rios M, Achauer B.
origin (e.g., caused by witchcraft). scribing a rational and effective called upon to advise. Pain relief for the Hispanic burn patient
He also had an impressive list of way for the client to behave.18 using cultural metaphors. Plast Reconstr
Surg. 1990;18:2532.
healing plants that he grew or
gathered. Indeed, rational and COMMENTS About the Author 13. Dobkin de Rios M, Friedman JK.
The author is with the Department of Psy- Hypnotherapy with Hispanic burn pa-
empirical techniques are the tients. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 1987;35:
chiatry and Human Behavior, University
shamanic healers strength. It is important for the therapist of California, Irvine. 8794.
I once told a holistic health not to lose control of the therapy Requests for reprints should be sent 14. Dobkin de Rios M. Trichocereus
to Marlene Dobkin de Rios, PhD, 2555 pachanoia mescaline cactus used in
physician how, as treatment for hour. Just as the shaman healer
E Chapman Ave, Suite 407, Fullerton, folk healing in Peru. Econ Botany. l968;
arthritis, Don Hilde kept red ants boasted of his fine poncho, the CA 92831 (e-mail: septrion@aol.com). 22:191194.
in a bottle of cane rum. Clients psychotherapists diplomas This commentary was accepted May
21, 2002. 15. Dobkin de Rios M. Amazon Healer:
suffering from arthritis who should be conspicuously dis- The Life and Times of an Urban Shaman.
drank this liquid often reported played on the wall. The therapist Bridport, England: Prism Press; 1992.
improvement. The holistic physi- should refer to people he or she References 16. Dobkin de Rios M. The vidente
1. Dobkin de Rios M. Visionary Vine: phenomenon in Third World traditional
cian noted that beekeepers had has cured (no names or identify- Hallucinogenic Healing in the Peruvian healing: an Amazon example. Med An-
a very low rate of arthritis com- ing characteristics, of course). Amazon. Prospect Heights, Ill: Waveland thropol. 1984;8:6070.
pared with other populations, Preferably, they should have suf- Press; 1984.
17. Rodriguez E, Cavin JC. The role of
owing to the enhancement of fered from complaints similar to 2. Dobkin de Rios M. A note on the Amazonian psychoactive plants in the
use of ayahuasca among Mestizo popu- chemotherapy of parasitic worms.
their immune system from the those of the client, and the thera- lations in the Peruvian Amazon. Am J Ethnopharmacol. 1982;6:303309.
toxins in the bee stings that they pist should reiterate his or her Anthropol. 1970;72:14191422.
18. Della Volpa A, Dobkin de Rios M.
experiencedsimilar to Don ability to successfully treat this 3. Dobkin de Rios M. Ayahuasca, the Metaphor and misery: enhancing psy-
Hildes red ant treatment. A client as well. In brief psycho- healing vine. Int J Soc Psychiatry. chotherapeutic communication with
1971;17:256269. Spanish-speaking clients. In: Melby AK,
number of the plants that Don therapy, the psychotherapist has
4. Dobkin de Rios M. Curing with Lommel AR eds. LACUS Forum XXVI.
Hilde used were efficacious; little time to derive the clients
ayahuasca in a Peruvian Amazon slum. Fullerton, Calif: Linguistic Association of
some lowered blood sugar for di- own metaphoric worldview, as is In: Harner MJ, ed. Hallucinogens and Canada and the United States; 2000:
abetics, while others alleviated done in psychoanalysis; the La- Shamanism. New York, NY; Oxford Uni- 353358.
depression and anxiety. Even tino immigrant client generally versity Press; 1972:6784.
hallucinogens like ayahuasca seeks quick relief of symptoms. 5. Dobkin de Rios M. Peruvian hallu-
cinogenic folk healing: an overview. In:
have been shown to diminish The psychotherapist must not ex-
De la Fuente R, Weisman M, eds. Psy-
helminthic disease (intestinal pect to engage in long-term psy- chiatry: Proceedings of the 5th World
worms).17 chotherapy, nor to understand Congress of Psychiatry. Vol 2. Amster-
dam, Netherlands: Excerpta Medica;
Like the shamanic healer, the transference or to delve into in-
1973:11891198.
psychotherapist must help the trapsychic issues, but rather to
6. Dobkin de Rios M. The non-West-
client to think in the most ra- stick to the here and now. ern use of hallucinogenic agents. In:
tional way possible, finding meth- Those most likely to benefit Drug Use in America. Problem in Per-
ods to alter or restructure irra- from these techniques are immi- spective. Vol 1. Washington, DC. Na-
tional Commission on Marihuana and
tional beliefs and negative grants to the United States whose Drug Abuse; 1973:11791206.
self-talk. While the shaman uses culture of origin is closest to 7. USC 1101 et seq. (1986).
his spirit entities to give direc- shamanic roots. In trying to be
8. Dobkin de Rios M. Brief Psy-
tives regarding his clients behav- culturally competent, therapists chotherapy With the Latino Immigrant
ior, the psychotherapist instructs must not insist that clients be Client. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press;
2001.
clients by quoting proverbs, bibli- psychologized to their own
9. Wallace AFC. Religion: An Anthro-
cal parables, and dichosmaxims worldview and beliefs. In the
pological View. New York, NY: Random
representing the distilled wisdom Greek myth of Procrustes, visi- House; 1966:72.
of the community. The shamans tors to an inn were forced to fit 10. Dobkin de Rios M, Winkelman M,
source of knowledge is said to be into a bed by either having their eds. Shamanism and altered states of
1578 | Views on Complementary and Alternative Medicine | Peer Reviewed | Dobkin de Rios American Journal of Public Health | October 2002, Vol 92, No. 10