Diversity In Psychology

Through the centuries, people of different cultures have always been dying and their close relatives and friends were grieving for them. However, in this life situation different people may experience inner suffering of different degree. It is not a rareness that some of those can’t cope with their despair by themselves. Hence, they turn to professional help (Howarth, 2011, p.4).

The psychologist has to consider specific factors, which help people to go through the bereavement in the cultural environment his client comes from. The main cause of this diversity is in a variety of traditions of understandings of death and its consequences. Depending on customs, people may treat the death as another step in life development, which would bring

Every culture has unique customs which help to accompany the deceased relative in his or her last journey. Predominantly, the ritual of burying is a symbol of respect for a person’s life and the contribution he or she made. For instance, guests of the funeral venerate the moral features and deeds during their encomiums. But even though the death is very common for people, it is not always easy to overcome the despair. Hence, a person needs the professional help which would take into account cultural context. Thus, by considering not only facts but also a canvas of traditions, a psychologist acquires an opportunity to guide a person with depression or oppression. He gains an opportunity to provide another perspective for his patient which would become a way to unburden him or her.

Nonetheless, to master the spiritual approach to grief psychotherapy, a psychologist has to discover the various kinds of mourning the loss. Considering that some cultures differ dramatically from the common American idea of the funeral, a psychotherapist has to maneuver by defining main spiritual rules of death in the culture to which the client belongs (Papalia and Olds, 2012, p.618). Let’s take an example of funeral customs and attitude to death which differs from the American

During the funeral, the body is never left alone which is the sign of respect to the person. Jewish community has unique customs in regard to funeral practices. For instance, being around the corps obligate a person to wash his or her hands, regardless of touching the body. The main feature of burying in Judaism tradition is the great reverence to dead men. The coffin is closed during the funeral because, otherwise, the enemies may see a person in his or her moment of weakness. Although, Jewish religious tradition omits the description of life after the death, the representatives of this religion believe that “the dead shall rise in Israel” (Jewish Funeral Practices, 2014, n.p.). Another typical feature of Jewish people is a high level of unity. These people are accustomed to supporting each other inside the community that is why, through understanding of the bereavement and controlled experiencing these feeling among close people may be a cure for hurt brought by the loss. Moreover, a psychotherapeutic help may address the feeling of respect to the dead person. By understanding that death is the natural result of substantial life and the right for relief should be