Muslim Faith Leaders’ Experiences of Providing Mental Health Support in the Community

Abstract

Muslim Faith Leaders play an important role in Muslim communities. Despite being a primary support resource, research examining their experiences providing mental health support is limited. Amidst rising levels of Islamophobia and significant unrest regarding the inequalities that racialised minority communities face accessing healthcare, this qualitative study explores Muslim Faith Leaders experiences and impact providing mental health support, their conceptualising of mental health difficulties, and their experiences collaborating with mainstream MHS. Thirteen Muslim Faith Leaders working in a variety of settings participated in semi-structured interviews. Four main themes were constructed from Thematic Analysis: An Approach Grounded in the Islamic Worldview; A Complex Negotiation; Barriers, Stigma and Resistance to Accessing Support and Working Under the Shadow of Islamophobia. These themes reflect the complexities Muslim Faith Leaders report in their roles, defining experiences at a personal and professional level, and potential consequences of bridging the gap between statutory and community services. The findings are discussed with reference to previous theory and research, highlighting the implications for therapeutic practice, community, and policy, including the role the clinical psychology profession has in advocating for better access to and acceptability of services, and better collaboration with Muslim Faith leaders for Muslim communities.