Morita therapy

The Morita therapy is a traditional Japanese, today in alternative medicine sector used therapy for the treatment of social phobia, which was developed from 1919 by Shoma Morita ( 1874-1938 ), a psychiatrist and head of department at the private Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo. In several phases, starting with strict bed rest and meditation to physical labor, should learn to accept his fears and deal with it to eventually work in spite of the symptoms of the sick.

Morita's experience in Zen Buddhism have influenced his teachings, yet is not his form of therapy religious.

Morita dealt with Shinkeishitsu, a Japanese -based diagnosis anxiety disorders, the best with neurasthenia (nerve weakness) may be translated. The methods of Morita therapy include empathic reduction ( Fumon ), experiential learning ( taitoku ) conduct impulses, and progressive empowerment.

Empathic reduction aims to draw the attention of the patient by his diffuse, subjective complaints and, instead, to focus on concrete facts, needs and actions. The therapists do not ignore the symptoms, but they answer only general affirmative, without going into it. The patient should not wait for improvement, but participate in life, without paying attention to the symptoms. In experiential learning, the patient should master everyday tasks of increasing difficulty and gain self-confidence from it, eg the sewing box clean. The therapists are to give clear instructions and pay attention to discipline and perfection. With increasing severity should improve record momentum. Therefore, the therapist is to support and emphasize practical progress, not self- cognitive reflections. Positive thinking can possibly use, but it is only thinking and plays no special role in total. Rather, motivation is created by practical results. From these experiences, the patients can eventually master even feared situations, to set realistic goals and achieve them.

Morita proposed a comprehensive treatment plan before four points:

" Trying to control, even with will power and manipulation, is like trying to influence an already fallen cubes or push the water of the Kamo River back upstream. "

Several authors have described the parallels Morita therapy to Western methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and rational- emotive behavior therapy.

This is the only Japanese traditional psychotherapy, which has gained international importance and will be discussed today in the scientific psychiatry. However, the published results of treatment of 1919-1998 have continued to deteriorate, possibly. Due to increasing departure of the Japanese from their traditional worldview The application area are predominantly neurotic disorders. A Cochrane report, the 2008 examined the efficacy against schizophrenia, found possible successes, but their sustainability remains unclear.

Sources and References

• Brian Ogawa: Desire for Life: The Practitioner 's Introduction to Morita Therapy. Xlibris Corporation, March 15th, 2013, ISBN 978-1-4836-0449-7.

• Psychotherapy
• Alternative Medicine