Working predominantly with Uzbek-, Russian-, and Tajik-speaking males from the hinterlands of Central Asia over greater than a decade has allowed me to refine some concepts on the idea of motivational interviewing by way of a “culturally competent” lens. I want to clarify that I take the notion of cultural competence in utmost seriousness. Nonetheless, the identical thought begins to reek of predominant cultural imperialism (of the “trendy world”) when bandied about by most Western-oriented practitioners who usually refer to those identical forged of males as backwards, aggressive, controlling, and a litany of different clinically-couched pejoratives.
Let’s get again to the subject at hand. Group counseling can work wonders. Offering particular person Central Asian purchasers with slightly overseas concepts to entertain about relationships, gender roles, gender expectations, household methods, and different concepts of satisfactory behavioral adaptation will transfer the needle to a level. At worst, it may end up in a whole therapeutic deadlock, most usually seen when such purchasers start to work with clinicians that would not have an understanding of (or worse: antipathy towards) Central Asian tradition and mentality. Nonetheless, one thing really magical (ajoyib) begins to happen when one Uzbek-speaking shopper sees one other Uzbek-speaking shopper in the identical remedy group on a weekly foundation. In a managed setting, with agency but receptive boundaries. That may be a should.
My weekly Uzbek-speaking group remedy periods usually really feel as if I’m sitting in a room (in-person or digital) of Genghiz Khan descendants, and I like each second of it. The extra people within the room, the higher…the extra that I can see the magic of person-to-person benevolent affect start to take form. I do additionally take delight in the truth that I’m planting “seeds of change” into the framework of my group remedy periods with such males. It has change into extra noticeable of late that there’s a dwindling of “mens’ areas” in our society. This modern cultural critique just isn’t misplaced on the overwhelming majority of my Uzbek-speaking and different Central Asian purchasers. In truth – once we start to speak – this concept is expressed unilaterally by such purchasers in their very own phrases. These are the identical moments the place I can meet them (the group as-a-whole) of their craving, their need, their forgotten recollections of what it was as soon as like to collect within the “maydon” and converse overtly about THEIR issues and issues.
It is usually the identical place from which I can authentically, and respectfully (though immediately, if wanted), introduce ideas and concepts that those self same purchasers have by no means heard of earlier than, but can start to understand and take into consideration. That may be a main therapeutic and psycho-developmental milestone that may solely be witnessed and skilled to actually perceive.
Greater than ten centuries in the past, some of the distinguished and prolific Persian/Central Asian lecturers, Abu Ali Ibn Sino launched the world to a typical CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Remedy) precept – manner earlier than the world would ever hear of such therapies or Ibn Sino would even dream of their recognition. “It’s when the actual portion of the Breath of Life reaches the suitable elements of the mind that it turns into impressed with the temperament of the mind and thereby turns into tailored for the operation of the soul’s powers…” Bakhtiar, Laleh. (2013). Avicenna’s Psychology: A Textbook on Perennial Psychology. Chicago IL: KAZI Publications, Inc.
When my Uzbek-speaking purchasers come again to me and start to talk with their very own thoughts and coronary heart about the necessity to adapt their pondering and behaviors (not solely consistent with American requirements of acceptability, but additionally out of an genuine need to have more healthy familial relations), I hearken to them with deep respect and curiosity about how they’ve come to such a spot. Inevitably, in addition they reference their group remedy experiences (with comparisons and contrasts to the subsequent “d’ost”, pal) – and maybe how they unconsciously see elements of themselves within the others within the group, and consciously want to work on these very elements of themselves they know could make their lives happier, more healthy, and safer.
That’s the place I meet lots of my Uzbek-speaking purchasers, and we start to discover worlds by no means fairly identified or talked about within the public squares, however definitely in my non-public rooms. After which, hopefully, in their very own properties, tea-houses, locations of worship, buzkashi matches, and hearts.