A Culturally Reflexive Comparison of Somatic Experiencing® and Hmong Shamanism in the Treatment of Trauma and Soul Loss

Abstract

Trauma is mentioned throughout the literature on the mental health status of Hmong Americans. Less frequently, soul loss is mentioned, though nowhere are similarities and differences between these seemingly related concepts explored. Here these concepts are compared and contrasted in order to better understand how paying attention to one's own culture (cultural reflexivity) can foster more culturally responsive psychotherapy and more innovative cross-cultural research. The concept of trauma is examined primarily through the lens of a body-oriented trauma healing modality called Somatic Experiencing (SE®) because its conceptualization and treatment of trauma appear similar in certain ways to how Hmong shamans conceptualize and treat soul loss. Together these concepts and healing modalities are explored using a bricolage qualitative research methodology. The critical and multi-perspectival nature of bricolage research helps make visible assumptions within Western cultural research and clinical practice paradigms which might be difficult to see using other research methodologies. The importance of paying attention to the culturally constructed view of self (as predominantly independent or interdependent) emerges as a key finding of this research.