1 How cultural frameworks shape the expression of suffering
In a multilingual, multicultural society such as Morocco, ways of expressing psychological distress are deeply rooted in traditional, religious and family understandings. Symptoms may be described through the body, as somatisation, a lump in the throat or heaviness in the chest, or attributed to the evil eye, or aïn, or spirits, or jnoun. If care professionals do not understand these codes, serious misunderstandings arise.
2 The mediator as a cultural and linguistic interpreter
With a command of the country’s different languages, including Darija, varieties of Amazigh, Classical Arabic and French, the social and intercultural mediator does more than translate words: they interpret the anthropological meaning of the metaphors used. They enable patients to express their distress within their own symbolic frame of reference while explaining the underlying cultural logic to the care team.
3 Defusing institutional and family conflicts
The mediator works in hospitals, clinics and community organisations to defuse tensions between care staff and patients’ families. They restore mutual trust, clarify reservations about psychiatric treatment and foster genuinely informed consent to the care proposed.
4 A means of promoting equity and shared citizenship
By dismantling prejudice and humanising the reception of the most vulnerable or rural populations, intercultural mediation ensures dignified, equal access to mental health care for all citizens without discrimination.
5 Raising awareness among care professionals and humanising hospital reception
The mediator also undertakes educational work with medical teams to raise awareness of health anthropology and the diversity of lived experience. This approach fosters a climate of mutual respect and welcoming care that benefits everyone.