Uprooting the Pumpkin: Neo‐Colonial Therapeutic Interventions with Formerly Abducted Young People in northern Uganda

The impact of colonisation affects a number of formerly colonised societies. This paper addresses how therapeutic interventions in northern Uganda align with a colonial framework. It explores connections between the English invasion of northern Uganda in the mid‐1800s and therapeutic approaches to young people affected by armed conflict. Two case examples of treatment for young people at major reception centres are provided: (i) World Vision and (ii) Gulu Support the Children Organisation. Both draw on Western mental health interventions as the approach of choice rather than prioritising traditional Acholi values. This conceptual paper explores new directions for Western helping professional in the Global South.