Jurnal Komunitas 6 (2) (2014): 280-293. DOI: 10.15294/komunitas.v6i2.3307 JURNAL KOMUNITAS Research & Learning in Sociology and Anthropology http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/komunitas The Power of Sugesti in Traditional Javanese Healing Treatment Atik Triratnawati 1 , Arsanti Wulandari 2 , Tiara Marthias 3 1 Anthropology Program, Faculty of Humanities, Gadjah Mada University 2 Nusantara Literature Program, Faculty of Humanities, Gadjah Mada University 3 Centre of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/komunitas.v6i2.3307 Received : July 2014; Accepted: August 2014; Published: September 2014 Abstract This paper aims to explore the beliefs in society toward traditional healing regardless of the more accessible, afordable and improved modern health services. This ethnographic study was conducted in Yogyakarta in 2013- 2014. Phenomenological approach was used to analyze the data using the theory of health seeking behavior as the guiding principle of this research. The main factor infuencing Javanese community’s belief in traditional healing was the power of placebo efect. Placebo can arise from both the patient and the healer. Additionally, other factors such as compatibility between the patients and the healer, patient’s aversion to doctor’s therapy, and the fact that traditional treatment is cheaper, easier, and more efective than modern medicine were the main considerations for patients in choosing traditional treatment. The beneft of psychotherapy provided through traditional medicine is in the form of life advices or counseling. In addition, healers’ attentiveness in listening to patients’ complaints was also the main appeal of the traditional health care service. Abstrak Tulisan ini mengupas kepercayaan masyarakat pada penyembuhan medis tradisional meski pelayanan kesehatan modern semakin mudah diakses, murah/gratis pembiayaannya serta ditingkatkan pelayanannya. Studi etnografs ini dilakukan di DIY tahun 2013-2014. Pendekatan fenomenologi digunakan untuk menganalisis data disertai teori health seeking behavior. Kunci kepercayaan masyarakat Jawa berobat ke penyembuh tradisional adalah pengaruh sugesti. Sugesti muncul baik dari penderita maupun penyembuh. Selain itu faktor cocok, takut dengan terapi dokter serta murah, mudah dan manjur juga menjadi pertimbangan pasien ke pengobatan tradisional. Manfaat psikoterapi berupa nasihat, wejangan maupun saran serta kemampuan penyembuh tradisional mendengar curahan hati pasien menjadi daya tarik lain pasien merasa cocok ke pengobatan non medis. Keywords: sugesti efect; traditional treatment; compatibility; psychotherapy; Javanese culture How to Cite: Triratnawati, A., Wulandari, A. & Marthias. T. 2014. The Power of Sugesti in Traditional Javanese Healing Treatment. Jurnal Komunitas, 6 (2): 280-293 doi: 10.15294/komunitas.v6i2.3307 © 2014 Semarang State University. All rights reserved  Corresponding author : Address: Kampus Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia E-mail: atik_triratnawati@yahoo.co.id ISSN 2086-5465 UNNES JOURNALS