Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Autumn 2013 | Page 55

“The experience
caused me to carefully
examine the ways
I interact with others
. . . and to realize the
importance of respect
as a demonstration
of Christ-like love, as
it shows others
that they are valued
and treasured.”
—Dr. Terri Watson M.A. ’86,
associate dean of psychology

caring for children, marriage, and
communication.
Teaching this last course in a local
church, the team presented psychological
knowledge and research within a biblical
framework. “It was amazing to see
how hungry these people were for the
training, education, and materials,” says
Dr. Hall, who adds that teaching five days
a week for up to eight hours a day, with
temperatures soaring at 90 degrees, took
some adjustment.
Formerly the world’s only Hindu
kingdom, Nepal survived a decade
of civil war at the dawn of the 20th
century. Following peace agreements
and historic Constituent Assembly
elections, the country is now a secular
democratic republic. Although there
have been advances in development and
infrastructure, Nepal is still one of the
poorest countries in Asia, with nearly
one third of the population living below
the poverty line. Much of Kathmandu
is powered by hydroelectricity, but
there isn’t enough power for the entire
population, so rolling blackouts can
mean many days with only about
14 hours of power. Travel can also be
tricky, since cars, buses, motorbikes,
people, and animals all travel the same
roads together.
In Nepal mental health professionals
identify social stigma as one of the
greatest barriers to receiving mental
health services. “Many individuals and
families are fearful of bringing shame and
dishonor on their families if they were to
acknowledge the presence of emotional,
psychological, or relational issues,” says
Dr. Watson. “This is not unlike the
U.S., where some people feel admitting
psychological problems is a sign of failure,
inadequacy, or even spiritual failure.
We were inspired by the creativity and
diligence of the Nepalese mental health
professionals to change their society and
cultural views of mental health needs and
therefore increase access to services.”

Both professors found their Nepalese
mental health colleagues open to
discussions about religion and the
importance of helping clients use effective
religious coping methods in dealing with
mental health challenges. “We enjoyed
numerous lively discussions about the
differences between Hinduism, Buddhism,
and Christianity,” says Dr. Watson.
While teaching at the church, the team
started every day with worship and a brief
sermon. Dr. Hall remembers one church
member vividly. This woman and her sons
were homeless and living under a bridge
in Kathmandu until they connected with a
church member and moved into a churchowned apartment.
Dr. Hall recalls seeing the woman
dancing in the aisles during worship,
helping collect the offering, and taking
on a leadership role in the church, even
though it was just informally. “Seeing
her joy in the Lord is what stood out for
me,” Dr. Hall says, adding that the trip
helped her think more deeply about how
God works and the ways in which culture
shapes our lives.
For Dr. Watson, perhaps the richest
lesson of the trip highlighted the cultural
importance of showing respect for others.
In Nepal respect is expressed in both subtle
and overt ways. “The experience caused
me to carefully examine the ways that
I interact with others . . . and to realize the
importance of respect as a demonstration
of Christ-like love, as it shows others that
they are valued and treasured.”
While in Kathmandu, the team also
conducted a small research project,
surveying the various professionals about
mental health needs and challenges in
Nepal and about their own personal
experiences and struggles with mental
health symptoms. Undergraduate and
graduate Wheaton students are now
working to analyze the data gathered in
Nepal, and Dr. Hall hopes to publish the
findings for the broader psychological
community.
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