offers meditation, empowerment classes,and treatment.
Ever wonder what is behind the beautiful smiles in Bali?
Surprisingly, there are increasing numbers of depression and suicide, various forms
of mental illness, child prostitution and foreign pedophilia.
Fortunately, Bali has an amazing psychiatrist, named Lul Ketut Suryani MD,PhD
who makes it her mission to help the Balinese maintain their balance and preserve
their culture, while they struggle in a rapidly changing world.
Most tourists want only to focus on the beautiful side of Bali.....and you can't blame
them. Who wouldn't want to focus on Bali's paradise, the luxury hotels, heart felt
smiles, dreamy beaches, a unique culture and lush, green landscapes? These are
some of the reasons that I was attracted to Bali in the first place!
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| Luh Ketut Suryani, MD, PhD |
While walking along the chaotic Market St in San Francisco, something magnetically
pulled me into the lobby of CIIS (California Institute of Integrated Science). Perched on
the countertop was a flyer of the evening's speaker, "Dr Suryani, a Balinese psychiatrist
speaks on Balinese cultural challenges". At the time, I thought, "What an exciting
coincidence since I am planning a trip to Bali in only a few weeks."
Later, I returned for the talk and met Dr Suryani, who graciously invited me to her home,
to spend the day with her in Bail. I didn't know it at the time, but Dr Suryani is the
leading psychiatrist in Bali.
As an expert on Balinese culture and spiritual practices, she is the founder of "Suryani
Mental Health Institute" and the author of several books: "The Balinese People",
"Trance and Possession in Bali", and "Living in the Spirit". She is an activist in working
with women, children, and the elderly, with a focus on mental illness, suicide, pedophilia
and prostitution.
There are only a handful of psychiatrists among the 4 million people of Bali, with an
estimated 7000, who are abandoned and untreated. When Balinese people are ill, they
will usually see the local priest or healer, called a balian or duka, as their first
choice because historically that is what they have always done and it is their belief
that the healer will cure their condition. Being supportive of these beliefs, Dr Suryani
will often first arrange a session for the person with a traditional Balinese healer.
Afterwards, while building up their trust, the person and their family are hopefully
more open to the possibility of using western medicine and taking medication. In
Dr Suryani's practice, she weaves together the ancient healing methods of Bali with
modern, western, psychiatric treatment.
Four weeks later, I met up with Dr. Suryani in beautiful Bali.
I took the one hour cab ride to the capital city of Denpasar to meet Dr Suryani. Her
home was an open aired, Balinese style home with large, carved, wooden furniture,
where I sat comfortably and sipped a cup of ginger tea. She has a total of six sons,
with plenty of testosterone roaming the house. One of them decided to follow her
legacy and also became a psychiatrist.
It was her son who drove us to the community center, where there were up to a
It was her son who drove us to the community center, where there were up to a
hundred people, sitting on floor pillows, waiting patiently to practice the meditation
techniques taught by Dr Suryani.
Weekly meditation groups in Denpasar, Bali.
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| Dr Suryani's weekly meditation group in Denpasar, Bali |
Dr Suryani spoke in Indonesian into a microphone, little of which I understood, except of
course whatever I got through osmosis. To my surprise, there was a camera crew
present and later I was told we would be seen on Bali TV later in the week. Dr Suryani
introduced me to the camera and I have no idea what she said, good or bad, although
I thought that I heard a reference to CIIS in San Francisco, where I first met her.
She told me that part of her mission is to help preserve the Balinese culture, to reduce
stress and the high suicide rates, by teaching meditation, relaxation and using
reprograming techniques. With ongoing tourism, new technology and globalism, the
Balinese people are having difficulty keeping up with the rapid changes.
The Balinese have come to a place where they are "stressed out" and need extra help to
stay in balance! (sound familiar?)
Increasing problems in Bali.
After the community meditation group, I accompanied Dr Suryani while she saw her
patients and adjusted their medications. Because depression and
suicide are an increasing problem in Bali, she decided to set up a couple of suicide
prevention, crisis centers. She also holds public workshops for families, providing
education, empowerment exercises, as well as running a weekly women's TV program.
No one wants to admit it, but there is a sharp increase in prostitution and sexual
exploitation of children. The young boys and girls gradually filter into Bali by ferry boat,
mostly from the island of Java. They set up business mostly in the Kuta beach tourist
areas. The customers of course, refuse to wear condoms and since the prostitutes need
the money, they feel that they have no recourse but to go along with it. Currently, the
HIV rate among the prostitutes is 20%.
It is a dichotomy that girl prostitutes have a negative image, are often abused and are
paid poorly, while male gigolos are well regarded, have an easy life and are paid
well.
It was appalling to me to learn about the huge influx of foreign pedophiles, preying on
innocent Balinese children. The village children are poverty stricken with families that
can be easily be bribed with food and clothing. The pedophiles present themselves
as friendly, well liked humanitarian workers or English teachers from other countries.
It makes me wonder who is trustworthy and who is not, in this changing world and
of course, this is happening elsewhere in the world. But in Bali, there is a perfect
breeding place for pedophiles because the local poor Balinese are trusting, open and
welcoming, as part of their culture.
peaceful paradise is turning into a sexual amusement park for tourists and perverts.
Dr Suryani has worked diligently to set up and is president of the Committee Against
Sexual Abuse (CASA), which implements laws for the protection of children. There has
been some success with criminal convictions, but they are usually given an early release
from prison. Often times, the Indonesian government and police seem to look the other
way.
What about the untreated mentally ill?
Many Balinese still believe that the mentally ill or disabled are the result of black magic
or evil spirits or are simply working off their karma. As a first choice, they will usually
take their ill family member to a priest or a Balian healer. Many Balinese do not know
about or trust western medical treatment, and those who do trust it, will not find it
cheaply available. There is only a handful of psychiatrists for a total of 4 million people.
Sometimes, in order to hide a family member's odd behavior, violent attacks and their
own embarrassment, from the neighborhood, the mentally ill person is abandoned,
permanently restrained, chained and placed in cages, by their families. Although they are
fed, it is an unhealthy environment in many ways. Eventually, the restrained person
becomes disabled and sadly, is no longer able to walk.
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| It is heartbreaking that many mentally ill are locked up in cages and forgotten about. |
Back road village visits.
Dr Suryani and her son have searched many back paths by foot to find the forgotten mentally
ill. Depending on the case, they talk with the families, trying to convince them to allow the
ill family member to try a course of medication. Occasionally, Dr Suryani is successful when
putting them on anti-psychotic medication. What a happy occasion it is on the day that the
once imprisoned person is released back into a normal life! However, the medication used
is too expensive for the family and currently is funded entirely by donations. At one time,
there was limited government funding until a few years ago, when it was cut by 90%.
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| Dr Suryani regularly goes into the villages to offer treatment to the mentally ill. 19 minute video with Dr Suryani and son during their village visits. Click on this link |
Dr Suryani is much braver than I could ever be! Although I have worked in the area of
emergency psychiatry as a nurse, I have always kept my distance and avoided becoming
overly involved. I knew it was not a safe area to work in, with unpredictable outbursts
and dangerous attacks. In fact, I was attacked on two occasions, (once while pregnant)
which scared me to death and luckily only with minor injuries. Even so, I have always
been curious to know what it is that makes people tick and how is it that some people
maintain their balance and others become ill.
Ok, I admit that I may have placed Dr Suryani up on a pedestal. She dives right into the
worst possible cases without faltering, while using a combined approach, as she hopes
to save the culture of her people. I was actually very drawn to her from the beginning,
knowing of how she immerses herself into the very difficult problems, that no one else
wants to look at. Most of us want to run in the opposite direction.
I felt deeply saddened and also angry about what I had learned that day with Dr Suryani,
Suddenly a cloud hung over my beautiful Bali and at the same time, I was physically
and emotionally exhausted, overheated and downright depleted.
Yet, I reminded myself that life is all about balance and how wonderful it is that there
are people like Dr Suryanis to come to the rescue and devote their lives.
I returned back to my bungalow.
After a long day, including a candlelight dinner at Dr Suryani's house with her family and also meeting her new grandson (dressed in pink?), I was driven back that evening
to my bungalow. There I peeled off my sticky clothes, took a well deserved shower
and then crashed onto my foam rubber bed.
A few days later, I found a comfortable little restaurant that had an old functional TV,
so that I could watch the Balinese program, in which Dr Suryani and I were filmed at
the medication clinic. The waitress pointed at the TV screen with wide eyes and a
puzzled look, as she figured out that the blonde on the screen was actually me.
Perhaps, she knew what they said about me in Indonesian, as I certainly did not
understand it. And of course, she spoke no English.
I ate light that evening with rice and a bowl of piping hot "Soto Ayam", the Indonesian
version of chicken noodle soup. Although, I have to admit what I really craved, was a
hunk of French bread smothered with butter. But I had to make do with the white
rice. Also, I would have loved to have a glass of wine, but since I don't drink alcohol, due to a migraine problem, I had the ginger tea. (one of life's many compromises)
the day with Dr Suryani and reminisced about Bali's "Dark Side of Paradise".
Hot soup was my comfort food to help me stay in balance.
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| Soto Ayam - Indonesian Chicken Soup |
Suryani Institute for Mental Health
(Some photos taken from website)
Contact Info: Luh Ketut Suryani, MD
Address: JL. Gandapura 30, Kesiman Kertalangu, Denpasar Timur,
Denpasar80237, Indonesia
Denpasar80237, Indonesia
Phone:+62 361 467553
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