Psychotherapy in South Africa: the case of Mrs. A

Abstract

Psychotherapy in South Africa is confronted by issues that reflect the emerging nature of the nascent democracy. Historic racial patterns have characterized the production of psychotherapists and psychologists who are predominantly white female and who often have difficulty mediating the socioeconomic and ethnic reality of their black clientele. Despite this problem, psychotherapists are increasingly relied on and are equipping themselves to intervene meaningfully without their values impacting on the outcomes. These points are illustrated in the case of Mrs. A, who is treated in the cultural context of an evolving South Africa.