Page 190 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

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Chapter 2 “Personality and Brokenness” de- Objectives that shape healing in the African in-
scribes - in contrast to western understandings digenous Christian counselling model are: to
of the self - the holistic African understanding reestablish community connectedness, to resto-
of every individual as a person within a com- re creation (image of God), to seek wholeness,
munity. Spiritual, mental, biological, genetic, to recognize brokenness, to facilitate reconcilia-
behavioral, and social elements cannot be un- tion, and to enhance community resiliency.
derstood separately. Therefore, “counselling in
Africa will need to be guided by approaches that To serve in this context, a counsellor must be
are holistic in nature. These approaches will uti- able to protect his reputation, seek wisdom
lize a multiplicity of interventions and partner- and knowledge, display empathy, understand
ships to achieve wellness among those served. the story of the counselee, recognize physical
The same methodologies must build on rich symptoms, identify problematic thinking, hold
indigenous cultural practices that are consistent counselee’s unpleasant feelings, use scripture
with a biblical value system. Africa’s traditional wisely, adapt in counselling non-Christians, af-
oral psychology is rich in tools that have been firm spiritual needs, and build community con-
used for healing over millennia. For training, nectedness.
teaching, and counselling, African Christian
counsellors can use folk tales, African proverbs, These objectives and characteristics are illustra-
songs, dances, and musical instruments. Profes- ted by an exemplary counselling situation bet-
sional African Christian counsellors are called ween Ruth and Maria.
to a commitment to scholarship in Western psy-
chological theory, so that they can both critique Maybe, even African counsellors, who have
it and employ points of commonality with Afri- been trained in Western psychology, will be sur-
can understanding of health and wholeness. In prised by the approach. But many Africans still
the end, we hope that what is uniquely African seek help from wise village elders or medicine
may be enriched through cross-pollination with men and sometimes feel disconnected from
other systems of healing, be they Western or Western ways of help. “Appreciating people’s
otherwise.” (p. 58f) indigenous cultural value systems, speaking in
a language they can understand, discovering
Chapter 3 “Objectives and Characteristics” gi- and using their metaphors, and planting seeds
ves short descriptions of three African pastoral of change by using biblical practices that build
counselling approaches – indigenous African on people’s traditions – all this will build up a
counselling (Malidoma Somé, Burkina Faso), practice of psychology and counselling in Af-
African pastoral counselling (Jean Masamba ma rica that resonates with people’s identity. This
Mpolo, Republic of Congo, and Abraham Beri- way, healing will be sustainable over time and
nyuu, Ghana), and African-American pastoral will become a ripple of positive change over ge-
counselling (Edward Wimberly, Nancy Boyd- nerations.” (p. 85)
Franklin). Building on these models, African
Indigenous Christian Counselling is proposed The following chapters 4-9 turn to different to-
as an eclectic model that integrates indigenous pics, which are relevant for counselling, and ex-
cultural sensitivity, biblical grounding, and ca- plain them from the African indigenous Chri-
refully selected non-African biological, social, stian perspective: stress management, God’s be-
and psychological insights. These three aspects nevolence and mass suffering, building resilient
are compared to the three-legged stool on which communities, premarital counselling, marriage
the wise elder of a village sits. The entire stool is counselling, and family counselling.
carved from one piece of wood, with three legs
held together by the seat. In the same way, each In the last chapter, “Spirits, Demons, and Scour-
aspect (culture, scripture, wisdom) needs to ges”, the authors discuss about mental illness
support the others. (p. 68) and AIDS, their probably demonic causation,
and emphasize in the first place, that mental
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