Respecting Personal Beliefs in Treatment: Collaborating with Faith Healers and Supporting Client Autonomy
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ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS:
Reply to Desiree Garcia
I feel it is important to respect and honor the person seeking treatment in all areas of
belief including respecting their beliefs about their illness. While as a provider we do not
need to be determined to find scientific validity in the beliefs (Shiraev & Levy, 2021),
acknowledgment of personal beliefs demonstrates value for the individual. When
considering faith healers, like in India, Sharma et al. (2020) highlights the benefits of
working in collaboration with faith healers as it can allow for positive outcomes for clients
due to people often seeking treatment from faith-based healers in their communities
before other health providers. Building relationships with faith healers can allow for the
encouragement to send people for treatment upon completing their healing practices,
ideally to avoid the concerns of harm to individuals such as delayed treatment in
emergencies or the belief that taking medications is unacceptable (Sharma et al.,
2020). Holding strictly to science then demands the denial of gods, moral laws, principles,
free will, meaning, and life after death (Peels,2022), therefore not allowing client
autonomy.
I feel it is important to consider the values and beliefs of all individuals even if science may
not support their beliefs. Studies support that the practice of spirituality reduces
cardiovascular disease and associates meditation and prayer with changes in blood
pressure, pulse, endocrine activity, and metabolism (Shiraev & Levy, 2021). My personal
belief is to honor the belief of individuals is more therapeutic than to argue the lack of
science. I believe that a strong therapeutic relationship can allow for psychoeducation of
science to support and enhance their personal beliefs, ideally offering a better outcome
for the client.
References
Peels, R. (2022). Scientism and scientific fundamentalism: what science can learn from
mainstream religion. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews,
1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03080188.2022.2152246Links to an external site.
Sharma, D., Gupta, V., Saxena, K., Shah, U., & Singh, U. (2020). Role of faith healers: A
barrier or a support system to medical care- a cross-sectional study. Journal of Family
Medicine & Primary Care, 9(8), 4298–4304. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_868_20
Shiraev, E. & Levy, D. (2021). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary
applications. (7th ed.). Routledge.
HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE ESSAY / DRAFT)
It is crucial to respect the religious and philosophical convictions of those seeking treatment. Although it might not be necessary for healthcare professionals to scientifically support these ideas, doing so can show that they value and respect the patient. This is especially important when thinking about religious healers, as Sharma et al. (2020) pointed out in their investigation of Indian healthcare. Working together with faith healers can improve the outcomes for patients, particularly in areas where people frequently turn to faith healers before other medical professionals. Having connections to these healers can also assist people to get the quick medical attention they need after finishing their healing practices, preventing potential harm from delayed treatment or refusal to take prescriptions.
As it may require the denial of one’s personal beliefs regarding gods, moral laws, principles, free will, significance, and life after death, adhering strictly to a scientific approach might be challenging (Peels, 2022). This may result in a lack of client autonomy, which would be detrimental to the therapeutic alliance. Even if a patient’s values and beliefs are not backed by scientific research, a provider must take them into account. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of spiritual practices like prayer and meditation on metabolism and cardiovascular health (Shiraev & Levy, 2021). I believe that accepting and respecting one’s views rather than trying to refute them can be more helpful. A better outcome for the client can be achieved by building a strong therapeutic relationship with clients and teaching them about the evidence behind the beliefs they hold.
In summary, good healthcare must respect and honor each individual’s beliefs, especially when using faith healers. Building solid therapeutic relationships can assist reinforce clients’ beliefs while still educating them on scientific data, and working together with these healers can result in positive outcomes for clients. In the end, respecting individual opinions can result in happier patients and a more efficient healthcare system.
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