McDonald, Marvin

This research examines how shamanistic practices promote emotional healing for the Taiwanese community. A shaman is a messenger that delivers messages between the spiritual and human worlds (Lee et al., 2010). Mental health stigmatization is prevalent in Asia (Lauber & Rössler, 2007), which hinders emotional support-seeking in Taiwan. Folk religions, such as shamanism, bring calmness to the Taiwanese community (cf. Wu & Liu, 2014). The question-asking procedure is culturally accepted and regularly practiced in Taiwan. Phenomenological semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture participants’ experiences with traditional healing through shamanistic practices. Using a linguistic ecology protocol, we discovered that shamans strengthen hope, encourage autonomy in decision-making, and provide insights into participants’ future outlooks. This study investigates shamanistic practices in support of collaboration and complementarity between counsellors and shamans (Moodley et al., 2008). It seeks to illuminate a broader understanding of spiritual coping in Taiwan and internationally in relation to Canadian practices.

In Turtle Island, the psychology community is urged to transform colonial practices per the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) Calls to Action. This research, guided by two- eyed seeing, explored two questions: (1) How do White settler counselling psychologists (WCPs) experience their professional and personal decolonizing journeys? (2) What is a White settler therapist’s role in decolonizing therapeutic practice? Four WCPs participated in collage-making focus groups and individual interviews. Narrative analysis revealed five “narrative trails”: (1) Awakening to shifting worldviews (2) Growing awareness to decolonization imperative (3) Grappling with White guilt and shame (4) Enacting decolonization in client work (5) We hope and we press on. These trails highlight critical reflection, tension, and unsettling moments, offering insights for other settler psychologists to follow in clinical praxis. Findings underscore the importance of decolonizing self and practice. Findings offer insights for psychology education, training, and research, emphasizing ongoing critical reflection and cultural humility.

There is significant evidence that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have more traumatic life experiences than those without a disability. Research has also highlighted that people with higher levels of traumatic events throughout their lives are more likely to receive a mental health diagnosis. However, adults with IDD who experience mental health diagnoses are rarely given the same therapeutic opportunities as someone without a disability to process experiences that may impact their mental health. This project inquired about the lived experience of those with an IDD in living with mental health symptomology. The project also addresses the systemic barriers individuals with IDD face when seeking out mental health support, the importance of a strong support network, and the distinct lack of knowledge about mental health among individuals with IDD. The results highlighted the need for increased trauma-informed and plain language resources for individuals with IDD.