Angola

IAC Member Associations & Organizations

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IAC Education Institute Members

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Additional Education Institutes

University Óscar Ribas

• Programme Types: Degree in Psychology (Clinical psychology, Psychology of Work and Organizations, Criminal Psychology and Deviant Behavior, Sport Psychology)

Agostinho Neto University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Clinical Psychology, Bachelor of Educational Psychology

Lusíada University

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology, Masters in Clinical Psychology

Jean Piaget University of Angola

• Programme Types: Bachelors of Psychology, Master of Work and Organizational Psychology

Catholic University of Angola

• Programme Types: Degree in Clinical Psychology, Degree in Psychology of Work and Organizations

University 11 de Novembro

• Programme Types: Bachelor of Psychology, Bachelor of Clinical Psychology

IAC Member Centres/Group Practices

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Additional Centres/Group Practices

PSICO MED

HR and Psychology  

The history of counselling in Angola is unknown, with no studies online published on the start or development of the counselling profession there. Thus, a comprehensive background on counselling in Angola is difficult to deliver. 

There is no associations work for counselling or psychology in Angola.

• Nonprofit organisations 
• Prison care
• Private settings
• Educational teaching 

In Angola, Post-war reconstruction entails interrelated tasks of economic, political, and social reconstruction. Psychosocial intervention is a small but essential part of post-conflict reconstruction.  Important tasks of psychosocial reconstruction include healing wounds of war; the social reintegration of former soldiers; community mobilization; social integration of displaced people; assistance to mine victims and mine-awareness training; cross-conflict dialogue and cooperation; fear-reduction; tolerance building; truth-telling; forgiveness and reconciliation; and the reestablishment of normal patterns and routines, among others (Wessells & Monteiro, 2001).

Moreover, Western-trained psychologists tend to enter war zones focusing on clinical problems such as trauma. Although many Angolan children present symptoms characteristic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Large percentages of children had experienced attack and starvation, seen dead and wounded people, or suffered loss of relatives and belongings (Wessells & Monteiro, 2001). Because of the extreme poverty, the anarchic environment in many rural areas, and the involvement of many education deprived youths in the military, many youths have turned to banditry, which remains one of the biggest security problems in Angola today. Socialization for fighting is both a psychosocial impact of war and a source of continued violence. 

The wider problem, however, is cultural. As constructed in Western psychology, terms such as “trauma” usually have few spiritual connotations. But in Angola, as in many Bantu areas of Africa, spirituality is at the center of life, and spiritual attributions regarding life events have profound psychological implications. Traditional healing in Angola remains poorly documented and must be approached cautiously and without romanticizing or essentializing it (Wessells & Monteiro, 2001).

For a deeper exploration of the counselling profession in the country, interested readers are recommended to read the following journal articles:

• Wessells, M., & Monteiro, C. (2001). Psychosocial interventions and post-war reconstruction in Angola: Interweaving Western and traditional approaches. In D. J. Christie, R. V. Wagner, & D. D. N. Winter (Eds.), Peace, conflict, and violence: Peace psychology for the 21st century (p. 262–275)