Shamans as Healers, Counselors, and Psychotherapists
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies July 1, 2012 DOI: 10.24972/ijts.2012.31.2.72 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Traditional medicine Psychotherapist Medical education Archaeology Jungian analytical psychology |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key points | Argues that shamanic healing models differ from Western approaches by emphasizing harmony, rejecting the mind-body divide, and treating clients within their broader relational and spiritual contexts. |
Abstract
Shamanic models of healing, counseling, and psychotherapy differ from Western models in that\nthey emphasize closeness to the natural world as well as to one’s body and life’s spiritual dimensions.\nShamanic practices reflect the ideals of harmony and knowledge. In shamanism, there is no division\nbetween “mind” and “body,” hence what Westerners refer to as “mental illness” is seen as part of\nthe total client being treated by a shaman, a perspective that often includes the client’s family,\ncommunity, and the world of “spirits.”
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience, Shamanism and the Rock Art of Native California | 1998 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From Culture to Experience: Shamanism in the Pages of the Soviet Anti-Religious Press | 2020 | Historical analysis | |
| Anthropology, Shamanism, and Alternate Ways of Knowing–Being in the World: One Anthropologist's Journey of Discovery and Transformation | 2010 | Reflective essay or personal narrative |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies November 4, 2024
- Spirit possession, mental suffering, and treatment by theurgic flight anthropological study of a culture-bound syndrome among the Turkmens of Iran Culture & Psychology March 3, 2022
- Transpersonal Psychotherapies Wiley eBooks August 20, 2026
- Intimations of a Spiritual New Age: II. Wilhelm Reich as Transpersonal Psychologist. Part 2: The Futural Promise of Reich’s Naturalistic Bio-Energetic Spirituality International Journal of Transpersonal Studies September 1, 2018