Qualitative research in a psychiatric setting requires methodological updates on its modus operandi for professionals who migrated paradigmatically from other academic areas. The mere adoption of the concept of acculturation, from anthropology to field of health services, may not correspond to specificities of assistance and research in this field.

To discuss results of a certain environment and acculturation strategy for development of humanistic research that took place in a psychiatric outpatient service of a university hospital.

Observation of environment of psychiatric supervision for qualitative method in health setting, in period of six months. The first author, doctoral student, psychologist, systematically attended discussions of clinical cases, observing relationship between supervisors and residents. Data were recorded in field diary, followed by free-floating readings and critical analyses. These were also submitted to peer reviewers of the LPCQ-laboratory of clinical-qualitative research.

– The experience, similar to an “internship”, has been confirmed as necessary to conduct qualitative research in this field;

– It allowed accurate apprehension of features of environmental functioning and, above all, cultural dimensions of language of participants;

– This proved pertinent for clearing the theme-problem to be researched;

– Postgraduate researchers, in particular those graduates under other paradigms, have strengthened their methodological knowledge on this field, and have been inserted epistemologically for which they will have built new knowledge;

– Finally, this methodological stage improved the so-called active observation and phenomenological listening of the researchers regarding those observed.

The experience contributed significantly to establishing and validating the qualitative methodological course.