Storytelling sister circles as a form of community-based decolonial feminist psychological support in contemporary post-apartheid South Africa

This dissertation investigates the therapeutic potential of storytelling sister circles in Cape Town, South Africa, focusing on three groups of women from diverse communities. The study contends that these circles serve as community-based, feminist, and decolonized psychological support, offering an alternative or complement to formal mental health services. Given the pervasive violence normalized in all communities, the research explores the impact of storytelling sister circles on women's well-being, emphasizing cultural, ethnic, spiritual, and gender sensitivity. While recognizing the psycho-social impacts of trauma and stress resulting from violence, the study argues that current services are often inaccessible, especially in disenfranchised communities. Western psychotherapy methods dominate available interventions, frequently neglecting cultural and religious nuances and inhibiting various population groups from seeking help. Employing a qualitative participatory-active approach within a decolonial and intersectional feminist framework, the study worked with three existing sister circles through unstructured focus group interviews. Participants include women of diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds, encompassing refugees, migrants, and South African citizens.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of the Western Cape

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Bergh, Michelle Z. K.

• Feminist
• Intersectionality
• Decolonial psychologies
• Storytelling
• Communities

Licence

• https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/bitstreams/fe13e738-f481-499a-bd8f-fe33833775da/download