To gather is to heal
Women’s mental health circles in rural Chiapas, Mexico
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7148934 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ana Cecilia Ortega (0009-0009-1780-3110, corresponding author), Margaret Buckner (0000-0001-5084-6686, Missouri State University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Pages | e22-e22 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2054-4251 • E-ISSN: 2054-4251 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/gmh.2025.15 |
| PMID | 40028383 |
| OpenAlex | W4407206954 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
In the rural villages of the Sierra Madre region of Chiapas, women experiencing hardship show signs of emotional distress that are diagnosed as depression and anxiety by health professionals. In this study, we critically analyze the impact of a pilot mental health group intervention (Women’s Circles) facilitated by community mental health workers. The intervention consisted of eight structured sessions that included psychoeducation from a gender perspective, mindfulness exercises, interactive activities, arts and crafts, and sharing personal experiences. We carried out participant observation and 27 semi-structured interviews with the participants. The main outcomes were, first, that participants’ moods improved, and second, that the improvement was mainly due to gathering with others and having someone to talk to. In addition, we observed that lessons during the Circles were often prescriptive, which, rather than creating a space for reflection on personal experiences, imposed globalized views of mental health and gender. In sum, we describe both the positive impact this program had on mental well-being and the problematic spreading of psychoeducation
Geography · Mental health · Psychiatry · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Employment and Welfare Studies · Gender Studies · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Gerontology
Extraordinary Conditions
The myth of mental illness.
Are mental health awareness efforts contributing to the rise in reported mental health problems? A call to test the prevalence inflation hypothesis
Mi casa sin mí parada no es casa
Exploring the association between segregation and physical intimate partner violence in Lima, Peru
A qualitative study of social connectedness and its relationship to community health programs in rural Chiapas, Mexico
Evaluación del sistema de salud mental en México
Social capital and mental health
Prevalence of Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Mexican Indigenous Adolescents and Young Adults
Psy-expertise, therapeutic culture and the politics of the personal in development
Cracking the fortress
Suffering, hope, and entrapment
Mental illness is still a myth
Situated Knowledges
Ethnographic perspectives on global mental health
Domestic Violence
Psicoeducaciónin the land of magical thoughts
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |