Abstract:
Mental help systems in Ghana are overwhelmed with severe and
chronic mental health issues. Yet, rapid urbanisation is
contributing to a weakening of traditional help systems. Religious
organisations offer a viable option through counselling ministries
and groups. To understand the role lay counselling plays in the
help system in Ghana, we interviewed one hundred (N = 100; age
range: 24–80) lay counsellors practising mainly in Christian and
Islamic religious contexts across four urban centres in Ghana. The
purpose was to examine what people seek counselling for; and
assess how this legitimatises lay counselling as part of the existing
system of care in Ghana. Findings show that most presenting
problems are interpersonal in nature and are typically low level,
non-life threatening issues. Presenting problems did not focus on
mental disorders. The implications of these findings are discussed
along with directions for future studies.
