Mental health and mediumship : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Wilde, D.J. and Murray, J. and Doherty, P. and Murray, C.D. (2019) Mental health and mediumship : an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 22 (3). pp. 261-278. ISSN 1367-4676

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Abstract

There is a lack of research examining the mental health of practicing mediums, yet the nature of mediumship work inherently presents a number of challenges to the mental health of practitioners. In this study, we aimed to gain an understanding of how mediums experience their mental health in relation to their mediumistic practice and how they recognise and respond to psychological difficulties experienced by their clients. Fourteen mediums from the North West of England took part in one-to-one interviews, which were transcribed and subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four themes were identified: from past traumas to mediumistic identity; spirit makes sense, mental illness is chaos; being resilient but vulnerable; and ethical mediumistic practice. The research highlights the value of not dismissing or attempting to change appraisals of valued aspects of mediums’ anomalous experiences. However, the findings do indicate that support for exposure to clients’ difficulties might be helpful.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Mental Health, Religion and Culture
Additional Information:
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Mental Health, Religion and Culture on 14/06/2019, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13674676.2019.1606186
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3200/3203
Subjects:
?? anomalous experiencebereavementhearing voicesmediumpsychicqualitativetraumaclinical psychologypsychiatry and mental health ??
ID Code:
135431
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
25 Jul 2019 15:45
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
28 Nov 2023 11:51