<p>Reminds me a bit of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_therapy" rel="nofollow">existential therapy</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanistic_psychology" rel="nofollow">humanistic psychology</a> in general. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconditional_positive_regard" rel="nofollow">Unconditional positive regard</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivational_interviewing" rel="nofollow">motivational interviewing</a> both insist on approaching undesirable feelings from the client's perspective without imposing fixes or changes on the person through pressure or blunt confrontationality. Existential theory even presumes major, inevitable negativity in life experience for which no individual <em>could</em> be blamed. There are plenty of terrible realities for every individual to face and accept in the process of adjustment and maturation. The individual must do this freely, idiosyncratically, and earnestly for oneself, or so the theory goes. Focus is not on eliminating negativity but on finding meaning amidst it. I hope these Wikipedia pages give you plenty to read for starters, but I can try to find more if you like.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-08T17:53:23.877Z
Your answer was great, I've accepted it. :) I didn't study psychology, and it was  already very hard to find anything just by mentioning Morita on the web. Thank you for providing links and explanation. I was wondering if you could recommend me a book(s) on this subject that you consider to be good? Many authors are mentioned, but I don't know from which to start. I wish to learn something from this. I hope I'm not asking for too much.
DetectiveShmee
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-09T04:16:28.603Z
Not at all! I'm glad I've been of help. There are tons of good books on existential and humanistic therapy...There's Frankl's *Man's Search for Meaning*, Yalom's *Existential Psychotherapy*, pretty much anything else by those guys or Carl Rogers, or maybe Abraham Maslow...Kinda depends on where exactly you want to go with it. Check out some of the Wikipedia pages and let me know what concepts appeal to you most.
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-09T09:58:42.787Z
Thank you! Existentialism and humanistic psychology. If book can change my perspective on certain things in life, it'll do. I don't know how these books are structured, and what kind of reader are they intended for ie. for someone who is a therapist, or a just about anyone? :)
DetectiveShmee
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-02T14:49:31.400Z
2014-04-02T14:49:31.400Z
Nick Stauner
<p>I have recently read interesting article about <a href="http://www.todoinstitute.org/morita.html" rel="nofollow">Morita therapy</a>. 
I have a hard time finding articles,books or research on this subject, and how it works in the West since this therapy was developed and mostly applied in Japan. </p>

<p>What is interesting about it : this therapy (or just Morita's philosophy) doesn't try to change person's feelings of fear/anxiety. It teaches person to understand his/her feelings and live with them. Doing things that need to be done despite fear/anxiety. </p>

<p>Does Morita's idea have western counterpart? Any free reading on it ? (something I don't have to buy) And is there any research paper on it that is reliable and accessible? </p>

<p>Any idea of something similar is welcome. :)</p>

<clinical-psychology><cross-cultural-psychology><anxiety><fear>
Morita therapy - does it have a western counterpart?
DetectiveShmee
# Morita therapy - does it have a western counterpart?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-02)

I have recently read interesting article about [Morita therapy](http://www.todoinstitute.org/morita.html).
I have a hard time finding articles,books or research on this subject, and how it works in the West since this therapy was developed and mostly applied in Japan.

What is interesting about it : this therapy (or just Morita's philosophy) doesn't try to change person's feelings of fear/anxiety. It teaches person to understand his/her feelings and live with them. Doing things that need to be done despite fear/anxiety.

Does Morita's idea have western counterpart? Any free reading on it ? (something I don't have to buy) And is there any research paper on it that is reliable and accessible?

Any idea of something similar is welcome. :)

**Tags:** clinical-psychology, cross-cultural-psychology, anxiety, fear


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-04-02. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Reminds me a bit of [existential therapy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_therapy) and [humanistic psychology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanistic_psychology) in general. [Unconditional positive regard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconditional_positive_regard) and [motivational interviewing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivational_interviewing) both insist on approaching undesirable feelings from the client's perspective without imposing fixes or changes on the person through pressure or blunt confrontationality. Existential theory even presumes major, inevitable negativity in life experience for which no individual *could* be blamed. There are plenty of terrible realities for every individual to face and accept in the process of adjustment and maturation. The individual must do this freely, idiosyncratically, and earnestly for oneself, or so the theory goes. Focus is not on eliminating negativity but on finding meaning amidst it. I hope these Wikipedia pages give you plenty to read for starters, but I can try to find more if you like.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Your answer was great, I've accepted it. :) I didn't study psychology, and it was  already very hard to find anything just by mentioning Morita on the web. Thank you for providing links and explanation. I was wondering if you could recommend me a book(s) on this subject that you consider to be good? Many authors are mentioned, but I don't know from which to start. I wish to learn something from this. I hope I'm not asking for too much.  
> **username_1**: Not at all! I'm glad I've been of help. There are tons of good books on existential and humanistic therapy...There's Frankl's *Man's Search for Meaning*, Yalom's *Existential Psychotherapy*, pretty much anything else by those guys or Carl Rogers, or maybe Abraham Maslow...Kinda depends on where exactly you want to go with it. Check out some of the Wikipedia pages and let me know what concepts appeal to you most.  
> **username_0**: Thank you! Existentialism and humanistic psychology. If book can change my perspective on certain things in life, it'll do. I don't know how these books are structured, and what kind of reader are they intended for ie. for someone who is a therapist, or a just about anyone? :)  

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