Dr Celestin Mutuyimana, a clinical psychotherapist and founder of Baho Smile Institute, a psychotherapeutic and research centre in Rwanda.
Samira Isimbi
Wednesday, June 04, 2025
A few weeks ago, an article showcasing the report of Dr. Mutiyimana Celestin was published in The New Times. The headline read, “Rwandan Psychologist Discovers New Stress Disorder Affecting Married Women.” It quickly made the rounds, even appearing in a feminist group I’m part of. Yet, no meaningful conversation emerged from it.
My mind, with its peculiar tendency to retain and resurface seemingly trivial details, recalled the article while I was showering. As I reflected on the title, I began asking questions: What about their spouses? Are these women in unreciprocated relationships? Then my feminist lens reminded me; these women live in a patriarchal society where men often benefit disproportionately from marriage.
However, what about single mothers? Will they face the same condition? And teen mothers? Sex workers? What about other marginalized women? How is a woman’s expectancy of basic human decency from her partner a diagnosis?
Finding no immediate answers, I decided to delve deeper into the report. Dr. Mutiyimana’s work still lacks important parts of the research to be complete, but it still sparked critiques and reflections I feel compelled to share.