The Healers project: Exploring Africentric healing practices
Thu 10 April 2008


The Tavistock Institute is to launch a series of events focusing on using traditional Africentric healing techniques to address issues such as mental health.

The Healers project is an action research project exploring traditional and faith based healing practices from Africa and their role in the care and support of patients with mental health problems.

The Tavistock Institute in partnership with East London and Foundation Trust has issued an invitation to the African community to become involved in a series of six innovative learning events bringing together mental health practitioners and those involved in African or Afrocentric healing practices, including service users, aimed at creating a dialogue through action learning groups.

The project grows out of a recognition of the over representation of African and African Caribbean communities within the mental health system and the continuing failure to acknowledge and explore some of the communities own resources to tackle these problems.

The project is particularly interested in hearing the perspectives of those who are involved in the provision of healing and those who have received healing through some of the many diverse range of practices within East London. These may include the provision of healing by African Majority Churches and Mosques, African herbalism, and practices based within African or Afrocentric religions such as Orisa, Santeria, Rastafaria, Shangu Baptist and others.


Event Details

Beginning with a whole day event on 1st May 2008 9:30 - 5:00pm
at:
East London and The City Mental Health Trust,
EastONE,
22 Commerical Street,
London,
E1 6LP (nearest tube: Aldgate East)

Followed by a series of lunchtime events on the following dates: 15 May, 5 June, 19 June, 3rd July, 17th July 2008 (Time: 11.00 am – 2.00 pm)

For more information or if you would you like to participate please reply to:

Camille Warrington
The Tavistock Institute
Tel: 020 7457 3924
HealersProject@tavinstitute.org
 
(places are limited)

All travel expenses and nominal payment for reimbursement of time will be available for unemployed or freelance participants.