APD1282H
This introductory course is designed to engage students in a critical understanding of the mental illness, mental health and well-being issues facing globalization, mental health practices and counselling psychology. The course will facilitate a critical reflection of the research and wellness practices that places a priority on improving equality of mental health and well-being for all people worldwide. The course seeks to define and locate critical counselling psychology within the broader historical, economic, social and political contexts of global mental health (GMH) care. Through a critical examination of the various ways in which Western mental health is practiced globally, students would establish a critical understanding of the economic and political engagements that underpin clinical practice globally. A critical examination of the various ways in which Western models of diagnosis and treatment - DSM5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., and the ICD 10 International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, a medical classification list by the World Health Organization (WHO) - students will get an appreciation of how Western models dominate an determine Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) mental health trajectory of care. Western narratives about mental illness, mental health and well-being tend to dominate over local LMIC traditional and indigenous healing practices. The course will focus on diagnosis and culture, transcultural psychiatry, cross-cultural counseling psychology, and the political economy of global mental health and well-being. An in-depth analysis of a number of individual country vignettes using a critical lens will be undertaken. Key concepts such as: globalization of mental health, cultural representation and presentation of mental illness and health, cross-cultural counselling and psychotherapy; Indigenous knowledges and traditional healing; political-economy of mental health and wellbeing will be critically understood and appreciated. This course will offer students an opportunity to learn about essential GMH current issues, discuss innovative cross-cultural counselling psychology collaborations, and critically examine strategic Indigenous initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of mental illness around the globe.