Paper short abstract:

Our research draws from qualitative data collected during three months of fieldwork studying a local, small-scale, psychosocial and person-oriented alternative approach to responding to mental distress in Kathmandu. We put forward suggestions for policy makers and development practitioners.

Paper long abstract:

The magnitude of mental health issues in developing countries is nothing new. However, only recently has it been designated a 'global emergency' by a Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) - a movement that has its roots in the global North and assumes a model of care that emphasizes the need for psychiatric medication. Critics towards the MGMH are concerned about the psychiatrization of distress and the silencing of alternative ways of healing. We present qualitative data from three months of fieldwork studying a local, small-scale, psychosocial and person-oriented alternative approach to responding to mental distress in Kathmandu. Bringing the voices of the sufferers to the forefront and using a human rights framework, we found this local approach to be highly effective. We suggest ways in which learning from local responses to contextualized mental distress could inform policy and improve practice.