Recent clinical advances in cultural psychiatry

Abstract

Migration and exile remain a burden for psychotherapists (psychiatrists or psychologists) in many European countries. One can say that there are different answers according to different health systems. In the last twenty years, research in clinical settings focuses on ethnopsychiatry as the best answer for mental problems which could occur during processes of acculturation and coping. As far as the French system can propose, we think that the clinical medical anthropological approach focusing on illness, disease and sickness is the most convenient setting for an accurate and loyal answer for mental health suffering across cultures. The Kleinman's theory really fits to solve the ethical dilemma of “what do have to do with culture and linguistic problem in psychotherapy”.

On the other side will be discussed the Canadian approach as an example of multicultural services and how they are organised in term of public health.

Minkowska center in Paris, France has already a 40 years experience on transcultural psychiatry and social psychiatry and will contribute to the discussion on explanatory models in the mental health services in France and propose comparisons with other European countries.

Are the recent clinical advances in cultural psychiatry able to imagine what could be a European coordination and coherence on mental health services for migrants and refugees or is it impossible to overcome this gap ?