Bedouin-Arab clients' use of proverbs in the therapeutic setting

The following paper is based on my experience as a Bedouin-Arab psychiatric social worker. I have worked with the Bedouin-Arab population of the Negev, Israel, in two settings: psychiatric and primary health care systems. Early in my career, I faced difficulties in communicating with those who sought psychological help. One of the communication styles of the Bedouin-Arab is to use proverbs to convey personal, interpersonal, and family problems. This paper demonstrates that proverbs provide the opportunity for intimates to offer psychologically sensitive insights into a person manifesting problems. Proverbs contain powerful messages and help individuals to express their distress indirectly and concisely. From a therapeutic standpoint, proverbs are an invitation to enter the patients' internal and secret world. The significance of proverbs in therapy is discussed.