Discussion Alternative Psychologies

Alternative Psychologies

By (Student Name)

Institution Affiliation

Instructor

Course

Date

Introduction

Psychology is a wide field that entails so many issues that concern the human brain and mind, but as we go deeper into the discipline, we find that there are so many issues that need to be addressed rather than the mere mind and brain by psychology. When broken down we find branches like alternative psychology that deals with issues of the minority or isolated in the society and trying to find a way of liberating the groups like the women or people from different cultures (International Society for Theoretical Psychology., & Stephenson, 2003). Psychology is used as a tool of liberation to the groups by utilizing the techniques to come up with the solution. Liberation psychology is more of a social discipline or approach to psychology that seeks to actively understand the psychology of those who are suppressed and the poor communities by use of practical means to address the oppressive and sociopolitical system in which they do exist.

The issue that is dominant in the video is poverty. Most women are living under poverty because they earn little salary even if they have the similar qualifications as that of men, they are also assigned low paying jobs that cannot earn them good salary, they also spend the little salary on charity activities and some do them free of charge as compared to the men, they have the responsibility of bearing and taking care of children in which most of them use their money to raise the children, some women are affected by pregnancy in a case where one has got an opportunity and is expectant (Dujon, 1996). Also, domestic violence is another major factor that has contributed to women living in poverty.

Adelante Foundation applies liberation psychology to address women and poverty by giving them loans to run their errands, offers educational programs on how to be innovative and organize workshops for women, request them to form groups that can come up with a business that would assist them by giving the group a loan to start the business in order to service the loan, loan interest are put at lower rates that are affordable to the women during repayment (Foundation Center.1993). Additionally, the empowerment has enabled women to sustain themselves and their families by managing to take their children to schools and providing basic needs like food, shelter and clothing by utilizing the profits gained from the businesses hence eradicating and managing poverty levels of women and the loans range from as low as 50 dollars to hundred and fifty which is quite manageable to repay.

Since liberation psychology uses the approach that exists in the environment that one is in, therefore the foundation has made some advances that are within the environment and nothing new has been introduced like educating them, empowering them and encouraging them to form groups amongst themselves and come up with a business idea which is to be financed by the foundation and the terms of repayment are clearly spelt to them (Foundation Center.1993). More so the loans are offered at lower interest rates that do not become a burden to the women.

References

Dujon, D. (1996). For crying out loud: Women’s poverty in the United States. Boston, Ma: South

End Press.

Foundation Center. (1993). Guide to U.S. foundations, their trustees, officers, and donors. New

York: The Center.

International Society for Theoretical Psychology., & Stephenson, N. (2003). Theoretical

psychology: Critical contributions. Concord, Ont: Captus Press.