South Asian Women and Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Analysis

Abstract

Despite being the largest racialized demographic in Canada, psychological service usage amongst South Asians is significantly lower than other groups. Lack of service usage may be tied to barriers to use or inequities in service provision. Underutilization of mental health services may be a particularly pressing issue for South Asian women, who are at greater risk of experiencing mood and anxiety disorders in comparison to men. Nonetheless, research examining South Asians' psychological service usage has been lacking. The current study aimed to qualitatively examine the lived experiences of South Asian women who have engaged with psychotherapy. The methodology of this study was guided by philosophical hermeneutic phenomenology. An intersectional theoretical lens was further employed to obtain a deeper understanding of how participants' intersecting identities shaped their lived experiences of psychotherapy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 participants across Canada to explore their experiences before, during, and after psychotherapy. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2012) six-step approach to thematic analysis. A total of 7 themes and 23 subthemes were identified. Themes included the following: a) barriers to psychotherapy, b) facilitators to psychotherapy, c) frustrations or missing elements, d) helpful elements, e) psychotherapy in the future, f) community context, and g) (not) talking psychotherapy. Results from this study provide insight into the clinical needs and overall mental health service (under)utilization of South Asian Canadian women. Implications for the delivery of culturally-responsive care are provided.