Culture and madness: A training resource, film and commentary for mental health professionals

Culture and Madness is a training resource that critically approaches the subject of culture by questioning commonly held professional and cultural assumptions and biases. It outlines how mental health professionals can develop the skills in observation, analysis and critical thinking which are central to good mental health practice. The resource combines film, research and clinical scenarios to demonstrate how cultural influences pervade mental health thinking, practice and policy. At its heart is a 150-minute DVD, How Culture Matters, which explores how cultural communities in Britain consider mental health and illness. It shows conversations about culture and mental health taking place in different community contexts: interviews between local persons; between community members and mental health professionals; and between experts in cultural and clinical practice. The accompanying book explores the issues raised in the film further, featuring clinical examples and summarised research drawn across a range of disciplines. In articulating the subtle and textured place of 'culture' in the everyday lives of all communities, this resource will encourage mental health professionals to adopt a reflective approach to practice and to pursue a more flexible approach to cross-cultural mental health theory and practice. Full of unique insights and learning points for clinical practice, this resource is required reading for managers and trainers in the field of mental health, and will be a valuable tool for lecturers and students on mental health courses