Psicologia e umbanda(s): a clínica, a formação e as possíveis interlocuções de saberes

Abstract

This research was born from the author’s clinical experience and guided by a phenomenological-hermeneutic conduct. The objective was to investigate the role of religion and spirituality in the psychologist’s performance as a professor at a higher education institution and as a clinician, focusing on Afro-indigenous Umbanda matrix religiosity as a reference for this dialogue. The chain was divided into three parts. In the first, we reviewed the concepts of religion, spirituality and religiosity, and the historical constitution of Umbanda(s). The second part was made up of four phases: the first, consisting of three literature reviews, searched for products of dissertations, theses and scientific articles at national level. The second was about the choice, importance, challenges and procedures adopted with the experience narrative methodology, seeking to flesh out the questions and reflections based on the experience as a researcher, clinical psychologist and Umbanda priest. Then, the third phase consisted in exposing the methodological paths and the results of six interviews with professionals who played both clinical and teachers in undergraduate courses’ roles in Psychology to comprehend other positions and understandings. After that, the fourth phase was dedicated to creating a glossary carrying out a (re)visitation of the common terms to the universe of many Umbandas, which made up this thesis. The third and final part contains the general analyzes and the conclusion. The results indicated, respectively, a shy production on psychology and Umbanda in comparison with other religions, in the last 26 years, pointing out the importance of continuing research in clinical and training areas in psychology. By bringing up the contents that dialogue with the nonhegemonic knowledge of Afro-indigenous matrix religions, the use of the experience narratives methodology made it possible to approach their multiple universes through a promising route that touches on non-reductionist interpretations and enables the reach of their many forms of manifestation based on the experience of those who live them. The interviews provided a comprehension of the importance that religious and spiritual themes have in clinical and training scopes, even though these themes are often ostracized and avoided by a certain cultural agency naturalized in the scientific field. The path of constructing the glossary showed that there are other and diverse voices that make up Umbandas, in an original language of existing and resisting, of living. In this context, a gap in training of psychologists and the importance of religiosity as a bridge that provides open dialogue between psychological and Umbanda knowledge was highlighted. More specifically, once a clinic and training reflect the Brazilian society and its religious polyphony, living in a common world, even in its avoidance, we understand them as possible spaces for overcoming this religious exile, especially of religions that are socially and historically marginalized like Umbanda. As scientist-psychologists, actors of this scenario, it is still up to us to demonstrate the need for learning attitudes that reduce the inept formulation of our knowledge and our limits in the face of Umbanda’s knowledge in the clinic, and the commitment to the inexcusable re-elaboration of bases, guidelines and offerings of subjects from this set in undergraduate courses. This complex dialogue led us, also, to the historical reparations and rescues that are our responsibility. This study was financed in part by the Coordernação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. Process number 8887.662067/2022-00