"God is a painter": How Jewish Ultra-Orthodox art therapists and clients perceive mental health treatment

Ultra-Orthodox Parents' Perceptions of Arts Therapies for Their Children

Studies have underscored the complexity of psychotherapy for Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and cross-cultural therapy in particular, which evokes fear of disruption of basic values. Parents' sense of responsibility for their child's religious education exacerbates these problems in child therapy. However, there is scant research on child therapy for the Ultra-Orthodox, especially in the field of arts therapies. The present study examined the perceptions of 17 Ultra-Orthodox parents whose children were receiving arts therapies (including art therapy, dance/movement therapy, music therapy, psychodrama and bibliotherapy). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the parents and analyzed based on the principles of Consensual Qualitative Research. The study covered five domains: (1) The parents' experiences in therapy; (2) The parents' perceptions of the child's experiences in therapy; (3) Implications of environmental-social factors on the parents' perceptions and experiences of therapy; (4) Effects of intercultural aspects on therapy; (5) Perceptions of the use of the arts in therapy. The findings show that the experiences of ultra-Orthodox parents in the arts therapies of their children is complex due to the influence of the socio-cultural context, which involves dealing with stigma and tensions in their relationship with the education system. This context also shapes their perceptions of therapy, which can be characterized as purpose-oriented. The findings also highlight the parents' challenges in coping with the intercultural therapeutic relationship, and emphasizes the parents' preference for a therapist from a similar religious/cultural background and for cultural supervision of therapy. However, the results also suggest that there are benefits inherent to intercultural therapy in general and arts therapies in particular, including a sense of security, openness and acceptance of the parents and children.

Religious and Non-Religious Workplace Mobbing Victims: When Do People Turn to Religious Organisations?

Researchers' interest in the impact of religious-spiritual assistance on victims of violence has increased in recent decades; however, factors that are relevant to workplace mobbing victims who seek such assistance remain poorly investigated. The purpose of this study is to highlight the factors that make spiritual assistance of religious organizations acceptable to religious and non-religious workplace mobbing victims. The study involved 463 adults working in Lithuanian organizations, of whom 79.5 per cent indicated that they were religious. ANOVA and Chi-square tests revealed that the significant factors were similarity of personal and religious values, the relation with the person providing assistance, and the circumstances characterising assistance. This study promotes further scientific discussion on the involvement of religious organizations in helping victims of workplace mobbing and explains why religious and non-religious individuals seeking assistance turn to religious organizations. The article presents only a part of the research results of the implemented project.

The Experience of Mothers from the Israeli Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Sector after Disclosure of Their Child's Sexual Abuse as Manifested in Drawings and Narratives

Child sexual abuse is present in all strata of Israeli society. However, there is scant research on the emotional experiences of non-abusing mothers after disclosure. In particular, no studies have examined the experiences of these mothers from the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. The current study analyzed the drawings and short narratives of 21 Israeli Ultra-Orthodox mothers to explore the effects of the disclosure of their child's sexual abuse. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze the drawings and yielded four different phenomena: (1) squiggles that represented distress, (2) the mother-child relationship, (3) pseudo-sweet houses, and (4) split drawings. The drawings were either colorful, sweet or shallow, or alternatively were in black and white. As confirmed by the narratives, these drawings primarily expressed the negative emotions of shock, sadness, distress, guilt, and failure as mothers. While some mothers reported breaking down and that pain had permeated their daily lives others coped by dissociating the painful experience, putting up a façade of normalcy, or splitting their lives into two parts corresponding to before and after the disclosure.

Non-Haredi Arts Therapists' Perceptions of Therapy With Ultra-Orthodox Children

Studies have underscored the complexity of the encounter between ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) society and psychotherapy, as well as the challenges involved in developing a therapeutic relationship in cross-cultural therapy. However, there is scant research on therapy for ultra-Orthodox children, especially when it comes to arts therapies that take place in a cross-cultural setting. The current study examined the perceptions of 17 arts therapists (including visual art therapists, dance/movement therapists, psychodramatists, music therapists and bibliotherapists) who are not ultra-Orthodox, and who currently work or have previously worked with ultra-Orthodox children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the therapists and analyzed using the principles of Consensual Qualitative Research. The study covered four domains: (1) perceptions of the significance and objectives of arts therapy with ultra-Orthodox children; (2) the influence of the cultural difference between therapist and client on the emotional experience and the therapeutic relationship; (3) the use of arts in therapy; (4) systemic aspects. The findings indicate significant perceptual and value-based disparities between therapists and clients, which pose difficulties and challenges to all participating parties and require therapists to be highly sensitive. Aside from the difficulties, the findings suggest that this cultural difference may also have certain advantages for clients as well as therapists. The findings likewise attest to the multifaceted process of change that is taking place within Haredi society in its attitude toward psychotherapy in general and arts therapy in particular.