An indigenous path: insights from a division of Indian psychology for mental health
Indian psychology is a comprehensive approach to psychology, which has developed in India over the last many decades, and is rooted in a consciousness centered perspective emerging from ancient Indian psychological insights, from texts to oral living traditions. It not only offers an inclusive meta-theoretical framework to better understand human experience locally (18% of global population lives in India), but also provides an alternative against the reductionist approaches of psychology, as practiced currently.
The current talk will present the journey of establishing a division of Indian psychology, at one of India’s premiere institutes for the purpose of research, application as well as training over the last 5 years. It will also share various phases in its development, and the challenges faced in the process. The process insights might help colleagues in other parts of the world to make similar attempts in developing centres of indigenous psychologies.