title: [Psychotherapy in Brazil].
abstract: Present conditions in Brazil are characterized by sharp contrasts and rapid social changes. Modern Brazilian civilisation has its roots in Indian, Portuguese and African cultures, which have grown together in the course of many years to form a harmonious union of civilisations. The Indian and Afro-Brazilian elements of this civilisation in particular have brought about a great number of syncretistic cults, hitherto scarcely explored; such as Candomblé, Umbanda, Macumba and Spiritualism, all of which, together with a vigorously active folklore, exert an important psychohygienic function. The institutions created within these cults provide a ritualized therapeutic treatment of psychiatric conditions supplementing the professional psychiatric care available to the population. The variety of forms of the Brazilian psychotherapy stretches from the pre-scientifical methods of the Indian medicine man through the seemingly medieval forms of exorcisme and spiritualism right to the scientifically founded psychotherapy in all its lines. Integrative endeavours towards a culture-anthropological psychotherapy are becoming evident.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005196:Family Therapy; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012922:Social Change
vernacular_title: Psychotherapie in Brasilien.