Journey to the Centre of the Self Exploring the Lived Experiences of South Asian Psychiatrists in the UK

This book presents previously untold narratives of South Asian psychiatrists in the UK and provides insight into the impact of cultural identity, migration, and marginalisation on their lives and work. The development of cultural psychiatry arose to meet the needs of multi-ethnic populations. A hitherto overlooked area in the field is the impact of the white spaces of socio-cultural institutions on psychiatrists from ethnic minority backgrounds. Through the lived experience of South Asian psychiatrists, this pioneering book delves into the effects of structural marginalisation, the culturally specific needs of South Asian populations, and the impact of migration across generations. Personal accounts impart the importance of recognising the cultural hybridity of ethnic identities and how to work with cultural frameworks. Set in the UK context, insights can be applied more widely to other diaspora settings, and are critical in understanding diverse cultural environments.

Acknowledgements; Part I. Contextual Information: Introduction; 1. Culture and psychiatry; 2. An overview of the migration of South Asian doctors to the UK; 3. An overview of the interviews; 4. Capturing the lived experience; 5. The primacy of the lived experience as the route to change; Part II. Interviews: Dr Cheema; Dr P. Jauhar; Dr Yousaf; Dr A; Dr Chada; Dr Sivakumar; Dr Baruah; Dr Sami; Dr Davé; Dr S. Jauhar; Dr Mohiuddin; Dr Kaushal; Dr Vidya Giri Shankar; Part III. Analysis: 6. Negotiating cultural differences; 7. The therapeutic relationship; 8. Ways forward; Conclusions and recommendations; References.

Rina Arya is a Professor of Visual Cultural and Theory. She has written widely on topics in culture and the arts. Her monograph Francis Bacon: Painting in a Godless World (2012) was long-listed for the W. M. Berger Art History prize in 2013. She is currently working on an extended project on cultural appropriation.
Dinesh Bhugra is Emeritus Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London. He was previously President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. In 2012 he was awarded a CBE for services to psychiatry.