Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Therapeutic ritual'

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Esta pesquisa é resultado de um estudo sobre os conhecimentos mágico-religioso-terapêuticos de duas senhoras curadoras de Colares, município localizado em uma ilha no nordeste do estado do Pará, marcado por significativa herança indígena, colonizada por frades jesuítas e muito conhecida pelo suposto aparecimento de OVNIs, na década de 1970. Dona Maria é católica e de saberes amplos; prepara banhos, chás, emplastros e perfumes que são usados como atrativos financeiros, amorosos, como proteção e cura de doenças espirituais. Dona Ana, por sua vez, é evangélica, possui um saber especializado, que são as suas chamadas “garrafadas”, compostos que misturam tanto elementos medicinais como mágicos. A pesquisa se propôs como problema a relação entre essas duas mulheres, os saberes tradicionais com plantas e suas vivências e trajetórias religiosas. A primeira hipótese levantada foi a de que essa relação entre plantas, religião e magia é fundamental na vida das duas curadoras, possibilitando renda complementar, sentido de vida e reconhecimento simbólico e social. Como segunda hipótese, argumentou-se que existem dois modos de articulação entre o uso mágico-terapêutico das ervas, quais sejam: a vivência religiosa e os saberes da tradição, repassados oralmente mediante processos de iniciação e cura. Para avançar nas hipóteses previamente propostas, este estudo lançou mão de entrevistas semiestruturadas e observações de campo, interpretando a forma como ambas as curadoras de Colares articularam, em suas vidas, o saber sobre o uso das plantas, seus usos mágico-terapêuticos e os problemas pessoais que surgiram do decorrer de suas trajetórias.
This research aimed to study the magical-religious and therapeutic knowledge of two curators ladies in the city of Colares, on an island located in the State of Pará Northeast, marked by significant indigenous heritage, colonized by Jesuit monks, known for the alleged appearance of UFOs in the decade 1970. Dona Maria is Catholic and has extensive knowledge, prepare baths, teas, poultices and scents used as financial attractive, loving, for protection and healing of spiritual diseases. Dona Ana is evangelical, has an expertise, the potions that mix both medicinal elements like magicians. We proposed as a problem, the relationship between these women, traditional knowledge with plants and their religious experiences. The first hypothesis was that the relationship between plants, religion and magic is critical in the life of the two ladies curators, providing supplementary income, sense of life and symbolic and social recognition. As a second case, we were argued that there are two ways of coordination between the magical-therapeutic use of herbs, the religious experience and knowledge of tradition, passed on orally in initiation and healing processes. The survey drew from semi-structured interviews and observations in the field, playing as both healing articulated in their lives know about the use of plants, their magical-therapeutic purposes and personal problems that arose in their lives to answer the question and the proposed hypotheses.

This thesis investigates neo-shamanism, a cultural phenomenon with therapeutic purposes tied to different forms of contemporary spirituality. In addition to healing, the Neo-shamanistic practices being studied also offer adherents a specialized apprenticeship in the techniques as implemented during the seminars led by the neo-shaman. The ethnography, conducted in both France and Italy, finds similarities among the two countries which can be organized around five different elements that characterize such practice; a fascination with an ‘exotic elsewhere’, reference to indigenous cosmologies, a quest for well-being and individual healing, the sacralization of nature, a direct relationship with the neo-shaman and a twofold reflexivity of participants. The thesis highlights three elements; the spreading of the practices, the credibility of the neo-shaman and the therapeutic efficacy achieved during the seminars. The first element shows how practices spread via bookstores, festivals and forms of spiritual tourism. The analysis then demonstrates how the specialists earn credibility from their audiences. The third element of the thesis deals with the ritual relationships that the participants establish with the entities populating the neo-shamanic pantheon. These relationships with different entities mediate a therapeutic encounter with oneself while also constructing a bond with the outer and intimate nature thought to reside within all humanity.
Résumé : Lié aux diverses formes de spiritualité contemporaine, le néo-chamanisme offre à ceux qui y adhèrent un parcours de spécialisation basé sur des techniques d’apprentissage thérapeutique pratiquées dans le cadre de séminaires animés par un néo-chamane. Cette thèse porte sur le néo-chamanisme en tant que phénomène culturel à visée thérapeutique lié aux diverses formes de spiritualité contemporaine. La partie ethnographique, fondée sur un double terrain, en France et en Italie, a permis d’identifier dans les deux pays un fonctionnement similaire organisé autour de cinq éléments qui caractérisent cette pratique. La fascination envers un ailleurs exotique, les références à des cosmologies indigènes, la quête du bien-être et de la guérison individuelle, la sacralisation de la nature, une relation directe avec le néo-chamane, et un mécanisme de dédoublement réflexif des participants, tels sont les principes constitutifs de cette pratique. La thèse s’appuie sur trois axes : les modalités de diffusion des pratiques, la construction de la crédibilité des néo-chamanes, et l’efficacité thérapeutique mise en œuvre dans le cadre des séminaires. Le premier axe montre comment les pratiques se diffusent à travers des réseaux créés autour de librairies, de festivals et de formes de tourisme spirituel. Dans ce contexte, la crédibilité que les spécialistes parviennent à obtenir auprès de leur public s’établit grâce à une mise en récit autobiographique de leur position au sein de ces réseaux, notamment de leur rapport immédiat avec des figures fondatrices. Enfin, les relations rituelles que les participants établissent avec les différentes entités du panthéon néo-chamanique médiatisent la rencontre avec soi-même et la création d’un lien avec une nature extérieure et en même temps avec une nature intime, envisagée comme résidant à l’intérieur de chacun.

Esta pesquisa visa a compreender o uso ritual da ayahuasca (chamado de Daime pelos participantes) na recuperação de pessoas em situação de rua pela Unidade de Resgate Flor das Águas Padrinho Sebastião, grupo situado em São Paulo. A ayahuasca é um chá feito da mistura de algumas plantas amazônicas, mais comumente o jagube e a chacrona, utilizado de forma ritual por populações indígenas e mestiças há muito tempo, e que leva a uma alteração na experiência de si e do mundo em sua ingestão. Vem ganhando espaço na sociedade brasileira para diversos usos, tendo o uso ritual-religioso regulamentado no Brasil em 2006. No entanto, seu uso terapêutico necessita de comprovações científicas para que seja permitido. Compreender estes usos é importante para a saúde pública, considerada aqui como campo de conhecimento interdisciplinar que visa a melhorar e a manter a saúde e qualidade de vida das populações por meio da compreensão das condições de vida da sociedade e de intervenções na vida coletiva dos seres humanos, pensada na perspectiva da redução dos riscos e minoração dos danos. A pesquisa foi feita numa perspectiva fenomenológica, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com os realizadores e dois participantes do trabalho que já estiveram em situação de rua, além de observação-participante, no qual pesquisador esteve presente aos rituais e na realização das outras terapêuticas. O uso ritual da ayahuasca neste grupo se dá em conjunto com outras terapêuticas de tradição mestiça peruana, ligadas ao que é chamado na literatura acadêmica de vegetalismo, porém diferenciando-se dele em alguns pontos. A partir do que foi observado e relatado, perceberam-se alguns elementos que vão ser fundamentais para a compreensão do sentido deste uso terapêutico: experiência simbólica como aspecto principal; uso do Daime de forma ritual como relacionamento com uma alteridade sagrada que ensina; terapêuticas pensadas de formas individualizada e contextualizada; importância da relação com o dirigente como cuidador admirado e com conhecimento; noção do terapêutico ligada à despoluição de si e construção de perspectiva de vida e de ideal moral individual a ser alcançado. A partir disso que foi observado, ao final são tecidos alguns comentários em relação às possibilidades científicas de se avaliarem os possíveis riscos associados a este uso e a eficácia do uso terapêutico
This research has the objective of understanding the ritual use of ayahuasca (known as Daime by the participants of this group) for the treatment of homeless drug users by the Unidade de Resgate Flor das Águas Padrinho Sebastião, in São Paulo, Brazil. Ayahuasca is a tea made from the mixture of two Amazonian plants, most commonly the jagube and chacrona. It is used in rituals by indigenous and mestizo long and leads to a change in the experience of self and the world in its intake. Since the 1980s its use has spread to other parts of Brazil and the world and the rituals started to have different formats. After a long process, the ritual-religious use of this infusion was regulated in Brazil in 2006. However, its therapeutic use needs scientific evidence to be allowed. Understanding these therapeutic uses are important to public health, understood here as a field of interdisciplinary knowledge that aims on the improve and maintain health and quality of life for people, by understanding the living conditions of society and interventions in the collective life of human beings, thought the perspective of risk reduction and mitigation of damages. The research was done in a phenomenological perspective, through interviews with the developers of the treatment and two participants who have passed through the treatment, as well as participant-observation, in which the researcher was present at the rituals and at the realization of the other therapies. The ritual use of ayahuasca in this group is given in conjunction with other therapies based on Peruvian mestizo tradition, but differing from it in some spots. From what has been observed and reported, it was noted some elements that are crucial for understanding the meaning of therapeutic use: symbolic experience as a principal aspect; the understanding of the experience as a relationship with a sacred otherness that teaches (the tea itself); therapeutic practices are developed focused individually and in his context, the importance of the relationship with the leader, whos admired as a caregiver with knowledge, the notion of therapeutic self-cleaning, building perspective of life and an individual moral ideal to be reached. From this that was observed, at the end are a few comments about the scientific possibilities of assessing the possible risks associated with this use and effectiveness of therapeutic use

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Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior
The present Master?s dissertation aims to study the practices of the rezadeiras, Brazilian women healers, through an anthropological perspective. Special attention will be given to the understanding of these practices as a dynamic process in relation to those women who heal in Cruzeta (Serid?, Rio Grande do Norte), where is located our ethnographic research. For this research, twenty four rezadeiras were contacted and colaborated with our work plan. Among them, two were pentecostal rezadeiras and another one was member of the Jurema cult, an afro-brazilian religious cult. Similarities among these women healers were perceived in the research process, mostly in terms of their learning process and the use of certain objects and ritual techniques. However, apparent differences among them gave us the chance for understanding and reflecting on the actual heterogeneity of this world of specialists. Furthermore, i tried to capture the relations between the rezadeiras and the therapeutic practices from health professionals or the religious practices of religious leaders (Catholic, pentecostal, etc). It is possible to ascertain about the complementarity between therapeutic practices from different cultural logics. This complementarity is also perceived through the religious interchanges and transits among different healers, including those who have different religious beliefs. In this work, rituals are also described and they are a crucial factor to the understanding of this particular religious and therapeutic practice conducted by women. Following these ideas, our basic aim is to understand how the rezadeiras make interpretations about health and illness, specially those ones which are particular associated with their practices, the so called "doen?as de rezadeiras"
A presente disserta??o aborda as pr?ticas das rezadeiras a partir de uma perspectiva antropol?gica, cuja aten??o estar? voltada para a compreens?o desta pr?tica como um processo din?mico, tendo Cruzeta (Serid?, RN) como contexto de pesquisa etnogr?fica. Para a realiza??o da pesquisa, contei com a colabora??o de vinte e quatro rezadeiras. Dentre elas, duas eram rezadeiras evang?licas e uma outra que era adepta do culto da jurema. As semelhan?as existentes entre as rezadeiras eram vis?veis, sobretudo em rela??o ao processo de aprendizagem e ao uso de certos objetos e t?cnicas rituais. No entanto, as diferen?as existentes possibilitaram a realiza??o de uma reflex?o acerca da pr?pria heterogeneidade do universo de especialistas. Al?m disso, tentei captar a rela??o das rezadeiras com as pr?ticas terap?uticas dos profissionais da biomedicina e as pr?ticas religiosas do padre e do pastor evang?lico. Pode-se constatar a complementaridade entre pr?ticas terap?uticas com l?gicas diferentes. Essa complementaridade tamb?m ? percebida a partir dos tr?nsitos religiosos compartilhados pelas rezadeiras evang?licas. Presente neste trabalho, a descri??o dos rituais tamb?m ? um fator primordial para a compreens?o das pr?ticas religiosa e terap?utica realizadas por estas mulheres. Diante do exposto, o nosso objetivo ? procurar entender como as rezadeiras interpretam a sa?de e a doen?a, sobretudo levando em considera??o as doen?as ditas de rezadeiras

This study explored the use of rituals in substance abuse counseling. Data were obtained from a total of 25 mental health workers in the substance abuse field from the northern region of Utah. Four research questions were asked about rituals and their use in substance abuse counseling: (I) Are addictions therapists using rituals? (2) How did therapists determine when to use rituals? (3) What types of rituals do they use? and (4) How do therapists assess ritual effectiveness? Results indicated that about three fourths of the mental health workers questioned were using rituals in their treatment protocol with substance abuse clients. The most common methods used for determining when to implement rituals into treatment were (a) clients were emotionally stuck, (b) client's cognitive ability, and (c) therapist's perception. The findings also suggested that therapists presented means of assessing the effectiveness of the rituals they implemented, but the data also supported past literature findings that showed little empirical means of assessment.

This thesis has been concerned with how everyday social interactions facilitate personal change in the lives of therapeutic community (TC) client members. TCs are planned social environments that aim to provide a safe setting whereby troubling relational patterns can be explored through confronting past trauma and dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics. All aspects of community life, particularly everyday social encounters, such as smoking breaks and meal times, are potentially therapeutic. Whilst there are have been numerous studies focusing on treatment effectiveness and clinical outcomes, there have been relatively few studies that explore how interactions during these potentially therapeutic informal periods facilitate personal change. Thus, everyday social encounters are not only underrepresented in the literature in terms of mechanisms of personal change, they remain poorly understood in practice. Therefore, this research specifically investigates how everyday interactions support personal change by: examining the mechanisms of interaction rituals outside of structured therapy; questioning the function of peer-to-peer interactions; exploring how social interactions reflect TC values; studying the influence of power and social control that may exist; and looking to understand client members’ definitions of change. The study used a narrative ethnographic approach within two adult-democratic TCs, one residential and one a day community, for individuals with a diagnosis of personality disorder. Specific methods of data collection included over 700-hours of participant observation, in-depth interviews with clients and staff members and document analysis. Drawing on Interaction Ritual (IR) theory, this study explores the role of emotions, feelings of inclusion and how power is used during everyday interactions. One of the key findings is that transforming negative emotions into positive long-term feeling occurs through the process of inclusion and solidarity. Crucially, community members will tolerate high levels of negative emotions if they feel included in the TC. Both communities had an overall rhythm to community life that provided the emotional tone and pace of each day. Importantly, solidarity and emotional rhythmic entrainment, the process by which individuals become in synch with one another, were crucial for establishing and maintaining inclusion and producing positive change outcomes. Where solidarity and entrainment are broken, communities will invoke restoration rituals to establish connection with the entire community in order continue working towards positive change. Additionally, interaction rituals highlight dynamics of power, authority, and social control within communities, particularly between client members. Several clients reported increased feelings of confidence and tolerance towards themselves and others as a result of participating in community life. There are two main contributions of this research for IR theory and TCs. Firstly, IR theory has not been applied widely to the field of mental health. The thesis suggests clarifying the use of emotions to include an analysis of how negative emotions are sustained in successful interaction rituals. Secondly, for TCs, this research highlights the significance of times spent outside of structured therapy. Exploring personal transformations through the lens of interactions, rather than individuals, provides a multi-layered explanation of how change occurs.

Lié aux diverses formes de spiritualité contemporaine, le néo-chamanisme offre à ceux qui y adhèrent un parcours de spécialisation basé sur des techniques d’apprentissage thérapeutique pratiquées dans le cadre de séminaires animés par un néo-chaman. Cette thèse porte sur le néo-chamanisme en tant que phénomène culturel à visée thérapeutique lié aux diverses formes de spiritualité contemporaine. La partie ethnographique, fondée sur un double terrain, en France et en Italie, a permis d’identifier dans les deux pays un fonctionnement similaire organisé autour de cinq éléments qui caractérisent cette pratique. La fascination envers un ailleurs exotique, les références à des cosmologies indigènes, la quête du bien- être et de la guérison individuelle, la sacralisation de la nature, une relation directe avec le néo-chaman, et un mécanisme de dédoublement réflexif des participants, tels sont les principes constitutifs de cette pratique. La thèse s’appuie sur trois axes: les modalités de diffusion des pratiques, la construction de la crédibilité des néo-chamans, et l’efficacité thérapeutique mise en œuvre dans le cadre des séminaires. Le premier axe montre comment les pratiques se diffusent à travers des réseaux créés autour de librairies, de festivals et de formes de tourisme spirituel. Dans ce contexte, la crédibilité que les spécialistes parviennent à obtenir auprès de leur public s’établit grâce à une mise en récit autobiographique de leur position au sein de ces réseaux, notamment de leur rapport immédiat avec des figures fondatrices. Enfin, les relations rituelles que les participants établissent avec les différentes entités du panthéon néo- chamanique médiatisent la rencontre avec soi-même et la création d’un lien avec une nature extérieure et en même temps avec une nature intime, envisagée comme résidant à l’intérieur de chacun
This thesis investigates neo-shamanism, a cultural phenomenon with therapeutic purposes tied to different forms of contemporary spirituality. In addition to healing, the Neo-shamanistic practices being studied also offer adherents a specialized apprenticeship in the techniques as implemented during the seminars led by the neo-shaman. The ethnography, conducted in both France and Italy, finds similarities among the two countries which can be organized around five different elements that characterize such practice; a fascination with an ‘exotic elsewhere’, reference to indigenous cosmologies, a quest for well-being and individual healing, the sacralization of nature, a direct relationship with the neo-shaman and a twofold reflexivity of participants. The thesis highlights three elements; the spreading of the practices, the credibility of the neo-shaman and the therapeutic efficacy achieved during the seminars. The first element shows how practices spread via bookstores, festivals and forms of spiritual tourism. The analysis then demonstrates how the specialists earn credibility from their audiences. The third element of the thesis deals with the ritual relationships that the participants establish with the entities populating the neo-shamanic pantheon. These relationships with different entities mediate a therapeutic encounter with oneself while also constructing a bond with the outer and intimate nature thought to reside within all humanity

Predicting individual differences in placebo responding has proved hard. Predictions from dispositional or personality variables are unreliable for two reasons: first, because dispositional predictions fail to account for situational variability, and second, because the dimensions identified in popular dispositional models are inter-individual variables, and may not map on to intra-individual structures and processes involved in placebo effects. This thesis describes a new psychological mechanism of placebo responding—motivational concordance—which links placebos with established research on human values and goal striving.

L’objectif de cette thèse est de saisir les modalités et les logiques d’agencements des pratiques religieuses de guérison en région betsileo, dans les Hautes Terres centrales de Madagascar. Dans ce contexte, les rituels de soin sont le fait des devins-guérisseurs et des possédés par des esprits d’ancêtres familiaux, royaux et/ou aux esprits de la nature, mais également des exorcistes laïcs du mouvement de Réveil protestant luthérien (fifohazana), apparu dans le village betsileo de Soatanàna en 1894. Cette recherche a principalement été menée dans la capitale régionale, Fianarantsoa, et ses environs. Il est alors question, par le biais des acteurs du champ religio-thérapeutique (les guérisseurs et leurs malades), de comprendre comment les soins se juxtaposent malgré la tenue de discours imperméables les uns aux les autres. Les itinéraires thérapeutiques mènent les malades dans les salles de soin du domicile des devins-guérisseurs, les salles d’accueil du mouvement de Réveil, les lieux de culte publics (dans la ville de Fianarantsoa et dans les forêts environnantes), les étals des herboristes des marchés urbains, ou encore les hôpitaux et dispensaires. Ainsi, la dimension centrale du territoire religieux apparaîtra comme centrale dans ces logiques de cumulations, en région betsileo, à Madagascar, mais aussi dans les Églises protestantes malgaches de l’étranger (FPMA). En ce sens, le rapport au religio-thérapeutique se construit dans un espace mondialisé et négocie avec les codes de la biomédecine
The aim of this thesis is to understand the modalities and the logics of arrangements in religious healing practices in Betsileo region, in the central highlands of Madagascar. In this context, the ritual treatments are offered by soothsayers-healers and possessed by family ancestors, royal ancestors and/or spirits of the nature, but also the exorcists of the lutheran protestant movement of Revival (fifohazana), who appeared in the Betsileo village of Soatanàna, in 1894. This research was principally conducted in the regional capital, Fianarantsoa, and its surroundings. This study aims, by examining religio-therapeutic process, to investigate the juxtaposition of healing methods in spite of impervious discourses. Therapeutic itineraries lead patients to treatment rooms in soothsayers-healers’ homes, to reception rooms of the Revival movement, to public places of worship (in the city of Fianarantsoa and surrounding forest areas), to herbalist market stalls in urban areas, or tohospitals and dispensaries. Thus, the central dimension of religious territoriality appears as central to these cumulative logics in the Betsileo region, in Madagascar, but also in Malagasy Protestant Church abroad (FPMA). In this sense, the relation to religious-therapeutic is constructed in a globalized world and is negociated with the codes of biomedicine

Les pharmakons-aliments (aliments utilisés en thérapeutique sans être administrés selon les modes de la médecine conventionnelle) ont été ignorés des recherches en anthropologie de l’alimentation comme en ethnopharmacologie. Ils font l’objet de cette étude qui porte sur les rituels thérapeutiques de la zone Centre de la Mésoamérique, et plus particulièrement la limpia. Une étude anthropo-sémiologique des actes de cette pratique thérapeutique montre que ces aliments sont essentiellement utilisés dans deux métaséquences du rituel, qui correspondent à l’intervention du thérapeute sur le patient d’une part, sur son entourage d’autre part : l’acte fondamental réalisé avec un/des agent/s nettoyant/s et les offrandes aux entités non-ordinaires responsables de l’affection. Une recherche synchronique et diachronique est menée sur ces aliments particuliers, sur la place qu’ils occupent dans le rituel thérapeutique, sur les réseaux trophiques dans lesquels ils s’insèrent et sur les raisons de leur évolution au cours des siècles
Pharmakons-foods used in therapeutics without being administered in accordance with established medical practices, have been ignored by research both in the anthropology of food and in ethnopharmacology. They are the matter studied in this exploration of therapeutic rituals in the Central Mesoamerican area, more particularly la limpia. The semiological-anthropological study of the acts which constitute this therapeutic practice shows that these foods are essentially used in two of the ritual’s metasequences, corresponding to the practitioner’s intervention on the patient on one hand and on the surrounding environment on the other: the fundamental act performed using one or several cleansing agents and the offerings to the non-ordinary entities responsible for the affliction. These particular foods are studied in their synchronic and diachronic aspects: the place they occupy in therapeutic rituals, the trophic networks they partake in, and the reasons behind their evolution over the centuries

Desde a metade do século XX os grupos de ajuda mútua de Narcóticos Anônimos vêm se firmando como uma alternativa terapêutica válida para pessoas que desenvolvem a síndrome de "dependência química". Surgidos como uma dissidência dos Alcoólicos Anônimos, estes grupos utilizam de maneira pragmática o conceito de "adicção" para nomear esta doença e classificam-na como incurável, sendo possível apenas o controle dos sintomas. Desta forma, a sua proposta terapêutica é pautada na abstinência total do uso de qualquer substância psicoativa e em um conjunto de princípios éticos, espirituais e subjetivos que devem ser seguidos pelos participantes com o objetivo de "vivenciarem a recuperação" através de uma mudança radical de visão de mundo. Este trabalho tem como universo de pesquisa a rede de Narcóticos Anônimos da cidade de Porto Alegre. Dentro deste universo empírico um dos objetivos da pesquisa é demonstrar, através da apresentação de quatro histórias de vida de participantes dessa rede, que a categoria "membro de Narcóticos Anônimos" é menos homogênea do que aparenta ser; há espaço para a apropriação instrumental deste universo simbólico e também para a preservação de particularidades subjetivas no processo de incorporação dessa identidade. Outro objetivo é apresentar as implicações da utilização do seu conceito próprio de "adicção" enquanto doença incurável. Finalmente, através de um relato etnográfico, procura apresentar as reuniões do grupo como um espaço marcadamente ritual, mas que preserva momentos de interação e difusão de símbolos também "fora do ritual".
Since the half of the twentieth century mutual help groups such as Narcotics Anonymous have been establishing themselves as a valid therapeutic alternative for people who develop the "chemical dependence" syndrome. Emerging as a dissidence of Alcoholics Anonymous, these groups apply a pragmatic interpretation of the "addiction" concept to name that disease and classify it as incurable; they say that only the symptoms can be controlled. This way, their therapeutic approach is based on the total abstinence of any psychoactive substance use and in a set of ethical, spiritual and subjective principles that must be followed by the members with the objective of "living the recovery" through a radical change of subjective engagement in the world. This work's universe of research is the Narcotics Anonymous' network in the city of Porto Alegre. Inside this empirical universe one of the research's objectives is to demonstrate, by the presentation of four life stories of this networks' participants, that the category "Narcotics Anonymous' member" is less homogeny than it apparent to be; there is some space to instrumental appropriation of this symbolic universe and also to the preservation of subjective particularities in the process of incorporating this identity. Another objective is to discuss the implications of using the "addiction" category as a synonymous of incurable disease. Finally, this research presents an ethnographic description of the groups' meetings as composed by a rigid ritual structure, but which also preserves moments of interaction and symbol dissemination that lie "outside from the ritual".

The desire to enhance and make ourselves better is not a new one and it has continued to intrigue throughout the ages. Individuals have continued to seek ways to improve and enhance their well-being for example through nutrition, physical exercise, education and so on. Crucial to this improvement of their well-being is improving their ability to remember. Hence, people interested in improving their well-being, are often interested in memory as well. The rationale being that memory is crucial to our well-being. The desire to improve one’s memory then is almost certainly as old as the desire to improve one’s well-being. Traditionally, people have used different means in an attempt to enhance their memories: for example in learning through storytelling, studying, and apprenticeship. In remembering through practices like mnemonics, repetition, singing, and drumming. In retaining, storing and consolidating memories through nutrition and stimulants like coffee to help keep awake; and by external aids like notepads and computers. In forgetting through rituals and rites. Recent scientific advances in biotechnology, nanotechnology, molecular biology, neuroscience, and information technologies, present a wide variety of technologies to enhance many different aspects of human functioning. Thus, some commentators have identified human enhancement as central and one of the most fascinating subject in bioethics in the last two decades. Within, this period, most of the commentators have addressed the Ethical, Social, Legal and Policy (ESLP) issues in human enhancements as a whole as opposed to specific enhancements. However, this is problematic and recently various commentators have found this to be deficient and called for a contextualized case-by-case analysis to human enhancements for example genetic enhancement, moral enhancement, and in my case memory enhancement (ME). The rationale being that the reasons for accepting/rejecting a particular enhancement vary depending on the enhancement itself. Given this enormous variation, moral and legal generalizations about all enhancement processes and technologies are unwise and they should instead be evaluated individually. Taking this as a point of departure, this research will focus specifically on making a case for ME and in doing so assessing the ESLP implications arising from ME. My analysis will draw on the already existing literature for and against enhancement, especially in part two of this thesis; but it will be novel in providing a much more in-depth analysis of ME. From this perspective, I will contribute to the ME debate through two reviews that address the question how we enhance the memory, and through four original papers discussed in part three of this thesis, where I examine and evaluate critically specific ESLP issues that arise with the use of ME. In the conclusion, I will amalgamate all my contribution to the ME debate and suggest the future direction for the ME debate.

A process of heuristic inquiry, this paper documents the author's adaptation of a Neopagan approach to ritual for appropriate secular use with clients in a therapeutic setting. Two groups are discussed. The first group was comprised of the author and two fellow creative arts therapy students who were also practicing Neopagans. The second was a client group of three women that the author designed and facilitated for a bilingual community mental health centre. The same retrospective open-ended questionnaire was used after both groups to elicit members' responses to the ritual experiences they shared. Complete results from each group are included as appendices. Related areas of literature reviewed by the author include the following: ritual in theatre, ritual in drama therapy practice, ritual and the Sacred in therapy, as well as a contextual overview of common Neopagan beliefs and ritual practices. The peer group that served as inspiration to the author is described and the adaptation process is discussed, including various challenges as well as an examination of the role of the therapist. The structure and unfolding of the client group are documented in detail, as well as the life-death-rebirth theme that shaped its culmination. Photographs of group sculptures related to this theme are included. Questionnaire results are discussed separately for each group and a synthesis of common themes is included in the final chapter.

abstract: The inspiration to undertake this pilot study came after observation and reflection by the clinician-researcher, a board-certified music therapist who has used the harp as the primary instrument when facilitating sessions, on hundreds of music therapy sessions that took place at a facility for behavioral health and chemical dependency. It was observed that the use of improvised harp music as a therapeutic intervention within the context of a music therapy session seemed to relax patients who reported that they were nervous or anxious, and it was also noted that following a listening exercise that consisted of improvised harp music, patients appeared calmer and reported that they felt more comfortable. This research aims to determine if improvised harp music at the opening of a music therapy session creates a calmer environment in which to share information, compared with a guided verbal relaxation and ambient ocean drum sounds for the opening of the music therapy session. Social-behavioral research was conducted in the form of a fifty minute individual music therapy session with six subjects. Each therapy session used improvised music and verbal processing with the therapist, with three subjects in the experimental group and three in the control group. Each individual rated two different types of affective responses on scales of one to ten and completed a five-question survey at the end of the session. All the research subjects showed an increase in positive affect at the end of the music therapy session.
Dissertation/Thesis
Masters Thesis Music Therapy 2018

Rituals can be described as ceremonial acts, that have typical rules and own significance. They have their place not only for substance abusers within therapeutic communities, but in a daily life also. Usually, rituals are bonded to traditions of a specific community and they provide a possibility for an individual to identify with this community. They provide also strong emotional experience and they concern spiritual parts of the individual as well. The main objective of this study is to provide a possible view of clients of each stages of final ritual in specific therapeutic community and to find out how it is perceived and valued in a case of a given attitude on their process of own treatment. The elaborated work is focused on emotions which are experienced by clients, whether and in a case how they sense the person, to whom is the ritual addressed, and how they sense therapists and objects which are used during the ritual. In the elaborated work is used a qualitative approach. Data were collected by individual semi-structured interviews. The sample was chosen by a method of intended choice via an institution, it is consisted of therapeutic community White Light I clients, which were present in the community at that time and simultaneously participated on the leaving ritual in this community....

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Drama Therapy, 2017
This mixed case study used a traditional umgidi (stamping ritual) as a dramatic re-enactment within drama therapy to provide a therapeutic space for fostering wellbeing of cultural beings with an African worldview (CBsAW). Culture is considered as a critical resource because it guides individuals in how to achieve wellbeing by using resources from their context. The praxis of umgidi wokulingisa was used in sessions as per guidelines offered through interviews with izinyanga (traditional healers). One session was conducted with two participants in Moutse East. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Anyalysis (IPA) to discern emerging themes. Two superordinate themes emerged: experiences of a contextual self; and creative and flexible self-regulation. Experiences of a contextual self represents the participants’ cultural context and value system. Creative and flexible self-regulation is the developmental process of musicking in the therapeutic space that allows a participant to be self-conscious. By experiencing umgidi wokulingisa, the two participants appeared to shift their perspective on the accessibility of drama therapy within their cultures. The study was not able to explore the act of ukugiya due to a reluctance of community members to participate in the study. As a result of reluctance to participate in the study, I recommend a community intervention to ascertain how umgidi wokulingisa within drama therapy can manage expectations and concerns of the community within their cultural context and value system.
XL2018

L’étude d’un centre de soins énergétiques montréalais offrant un rituel de guérison révèle le besoin de composantes symboliques dans l’expérience de guérison. À partir de l’expérience rituelle et de la subjectivité des participants, mes objectifs seront de comprendre les raisons et les besoins d’une telle quête thérapeutique dans le contexte de la société québécoise. Dans cette perspective, je m’interroge sur la production de sens qui émane de représentations symboliques étrangères à la culture québécoise (chamanisme et alchimie) et ses répercussions sur l’expérience de guérison. Ces formes de subjectivités et d’actions thérapeutiques affirment une quête de sens face à la maladie que la communauté médicale ne peut soutenir. Dans cette quête de sens face à la maladie, le rituel du cercle de guérison s’impose comme une activité symbolique où le sujet, individuel ou collectif, met en scène son image, son identité et ses valeurs. Cet espace thérapeutique fournit une forme d’agentivité et un lieu pour remettre en question l’autorité médicale. J’examinerai donc le contexte et les raisons pour lesquels les gens se tournent vers ce type de soins, le symbolisme de la guérison et la place du rituel dans l’imaginaire des participants. En élucidant le contexte culturel et le sens que prend le rituel dans la vie des participants, je pourrai illustrer les opérations symboliques menant à la construction des expériences de guérison.
The study of an energetic cares center who is offering a healing ritual in Montreal reveals the need of symbolic components in the healing experience. Starting with ritual experiences as well as subjectivities of individuals, the aim of this presentation is to understand the needs and the meanings of such therapeutic itineraries in the context of contemporary Quebec. The growing popularity of alternative medicine such as neo-shamanic healing circle reveals the needs of symbolic components in the experience of healing. From this perspective, I’m questioning how these individuals can make sense of symbolic representations coming from different cultures (shamanism, alchemy). What are the meanings of the symbolic dialogue and his repercussion in the healing experiences? These forms of subjectivities and transformative actions affirm a meaning quest of illness that the biomedical community cannot provide. The ritual of healing circle is imposing himself has a symbolic activity allowing the subject to affirm his image, his identity and his values within an embodied transformative experience. This type of cares also provides a form of agentivity and a space to question the biomedical authority. I am going to examine the context in which people are turning to such care, the mechanism of transformation at work, as well as the role of the ritual in the imaginary of the participants. By shedding light on the cultural context and the meanings of the ritual for the participants, I will illustrate the symbolic operations leading to healing experiences.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2006.
Health care practitioners have known for some time that patients benefit from specific manual intervention effects, but also from the manner in which these are presented. The latter at times having as much impact on patient health as the former. Thus the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the clinical ritual during instrument assisted adjusting whilst managing mechanical lower back pain. The study was a randomized prospective study comprising of sixty participants aged 18-59. These individuals were randomly allocated into two groups of thirty and then further stratified to control for gender. Both Groups were diagnosed according to the Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique (AMCT), however the tension was set at maximum for group A, whilst the device was set to the minimum tension for group B. Each patient received three treatments and one follow up visit over a two-week period. Subjective data was collected at the first, third and follow up visit. Subjective data was recorded using the Visual Analogue Scale, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, the Roland Morris Questionnaire and the Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Outcomes were analysed through with the SPSS statistical package at a 95% level of confidence. After analysis of the collected data it was found that there was no statistical difference between the groups, but there was a non-specific trend suggesting a better outcome in the full tension activator group (Group A). Thus, the research indicated that patients perceptions, the patient-practitioner relationship, and the assumption of an outcome of success as well as the power of placebo or non-specific effects play a large role in the managing of lower back pain in a chiropractic environment.

Text in Afrikaans
Rituals are part of our everyday life and are usually performed unconsciously. In this dissertation rituals are used consciously, within a therapeutic context, with the purpose to facilitate healing and growth. The aim of the research is to focus the readers' attention on the therapeutic potential of rituals and its value as an intervention strategy. The study concentrates on the grieving process. The researcher therefore specifically wants to show how rituals are used during grief counselling. The following research problem was investigated in the study: "What is the attitude, opinion and knowledge of professional caregivers concerning the use of rituals as a therapeutic tool during grief counselling?" Out of the research data the following hypothesis was formulated: - To grief over a loss is essential. Because of the basic properties and remedial functions of rituals, rituals can be a valuable therapeutic tool in the facilitation of this process. - There is an inherent connection between professional caregivers' attitudes, opinions and knowledge of therapeutic rituals and the regular and effective use of them during grief counselling. - The use of rituals during grief counselling is only one component in the comprehensive pastoral care of the bereaved.
Practical theology
M.Th.