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Understanding Mental Health in Muslim Communities

Explore the distinctive mental health experiences of Muslims and how mental health support can be improved in Muslim communities.

7,208 enrolled on this course

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  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    5 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Digital upgrade

    Free
  • Accreditation

    AvailableMore info

Investigate how faith affects access to mental health services

Research shows that Muslims in Britain are under-referred to mainstream services for mental health problems. When they are accessed, their rates of improvement are lower.

On this four-week course you’ll explore Muslim experiences of mental health and how to provide support for Muslim communities.

By contextualising Muslim experiences of mental health, you’ll learn skills and techniques to provide effective mental health support to minority communities.

Discover how understanding mental health can benefit the Muslim community

Whilst faith can help to address mental health problems, it can also contribute to them.

You’ll learn how mental health experiences vary in the Muslim community – from common mental health problems including depression and anxiety to circumstances affecting mental health such as Islamophobia or refugee status.

By understanding the issues affecting Muslim communities and how they influence mental health, you’ll be able to create more accessible routes into support.

Explore a spiritual understanding of Muslim mental health

You’ll appraise the inclusion of ‘spiritual’ as a fourth factor within bio-psycho-social understandings of mental health. With this framework, you’ll be able to create environments where Muslim clients feel comfortable discussing their faith and mental health.

Learn a holistic approach to pastoral care from Cardiff University

You’ll reflect on how holistic frameworks within religious and spiritual support can improve care when working with Muslim communities and increase recovery rates.

Guided by the experts at Cardiff University, you’ll understand the distinct ways in which Muslim communities are affected by mental health issues and will gain a variety of skills to provide more effective access and care to minority groups.

Skip to 0 minutes and 10 seconds Mental health problems are a pressing global  concern and the leading cause of disability and   premature death. According to the mental health  foundation one in four people experience mental   health problems each year, while faith can help  to address mental health problems it can also   contribute to them. Additionally the particular  circumstances facing some Muslims can affect their   mental health for example islamophobia or refugee  status, like the general population Muslims can   suffer from common mental health problems such  as depression. Research shows that Muslims in   Britain are under referred to mainstream services  for mental health problems, and when Muslims do   access services their rates of improvement are  lower.

Skip to 0 minutes and 55 seconds We believe that through gaining a better   understanding of the mental health experiences of  Muslims it is possible to provide them with more   effective support. In this introductory course we  will explore some of the distinctive ways in which   Muslims experience mental health, and consider  how this understanding might improve care the   course will benefit anyone who provides support  for mental health problems in Muslim communities.  

Skip to 1 minute and 32 seconds We will explore Muslim world views and some of the  contextual factors such as ethnicity and gender   that can help us to understand diverse experiences  of mental health among Muslims. We will learn   about how mental health is understood in Islam  and by Muslims and consider how this compares   to western models of mental health, we will then  take a closer look at how mental health conditions   are experienced within Muslim communities  with a specific focus on depression dementia   addiction and OCD.

Skip to 2 minutes and 5 seconds We will discuss what  recovery from mental health problems means   contrasting healthcare and Islamic or  Muslim perspectives, finally we will   think about how we can use these understandings  to provide more effective support for Muslims.   Join the team of experts from the Islam UK centre  Cardiff university who have developed this course   and signed up now to begin this journey  to understanding Muslim mental health.

What topics will you cover?

  • Introduction to the course and Muslim worldview
  • Muslim Experiences of Mental Health
  • Common Mental Health Problems Among Muslims
  • What is ‘recovery’, and who can help?

Who is this accredited by?

Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Psychiatrists:

The Royal College of Psychiatrists accredits training courses across a range of providers that deliver mental health training to the public. This accreditation quality mark is a seal of approval for mental healthcare training.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify some of the distinctive ways in which Muslims may experience mental health problems
  • Develop an understanding of why experiences of mental health problems can vary between different groups of Muslims
  • Explore the impacts of Islamic beliefs and practices on mental health
  • Evaluate the inclusion of spiritual or religious factors in existing holistic frameworks for understanding mental health problems when working with Muslim individuals and communities
  • Reflect upon how mainstream health and social care practitioners might create conditions or environments where Muslims can feel comfortable talking about faith in a mental health context
  • Reflect upon how Muslim practitioners might create conditions or environments where Muslims can feel comfortable talking about mental health problems in a faith context

Who is the course for?

This course is for anyone who provides mental health support in Muslim communities such as medical or social care professionals or religious pastoral carers.

It’s also suitable for anyone who wants to know more about Islam or mental health care practice.

Who will you learn with?

I am a Consultant Psychiatrist and Islamic Scholar with a special interest in spirituality and mental health.

I am Research Fellow in British Muslim Studies at the Islam-UK Centre, Cardiff University. I am interested in socio-economic inequalities, migration, and the everyday lives of British Muslims.

I am a Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Cardiff University. I am interested in Islam and ethics, and the intersection of theology with sociology.

Who developed the course?

Cardiff University

Cardiff University is a member of the Russell Group of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities and is ranked within the top 150 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings.

Endorsers and supporters

supported by

Muslim Council of Wales logo

supported by

MCB logo

What's included?

Cardiff University are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible
  • Learning on FutureLearn

    Your learning, your rules

    • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
    • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
    • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

    Join a global classroom

    • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
    • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
    • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

    Map your progress

    • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
    • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
    • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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