Naikan Therapy Vs Western Psychotherapy

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The “counselor will validate the individual’s experiences”, and “entertain blame of others” for his or her “problems” (Rose, 2015). “Providing analysis”, and “interpretation of what the individual has experienced (Rose, 2015).
Similarities and Differences of Indigenous Healing and Western Psychotherapy
The similarities of both Naikan Therapy and Western psychotherapy are that they both help individuals with their suffering, and help them to feel better about themselves, and their lives. Both approaches can and have worked together in some form or another. Naikan therapy is based on “restorative”, and “transformative healing” ("Naikan Therapy - Naikan approach," 2016). The “goal” of “restorative healing” is to “return the individuals state …show more content…

Although these two approach “can work together”, Western psychotherapy is “more focused on transformation”, and Naikan is “more focused on restoration” (Reynolds, 2016). Naikan therapy, and Western Psychotherapy have many differences in indigenous healing therapies. Naikan therapy is based on “reflection” and is “structured”, while Western healing therapy is based on “dialog” (Reynolds, 2016). Other differences are that Naikan is based on “increasing one’s appreciation of life”, and Western healing “focuses on increasing self-esteem”. Western healing therapy “focuses on feelings”, thoughts, behaviors etc(Reynolds, 2016). It places “more emphasis” on how the person was “hurt and mistreated” “by others”, while Naikan is about “facts”, and “finding the truth and being of service”, rather than on a “good feeling”, and “encourages it focus” on “how the individual was cared for and supported by others” (Reynolds, 2016). The biggest and most important difference in both healing approaches is that Naikan does “not focus” on “placing blame” on others for the client’s problems, like Western psychotherapy tends to do (Reynolds, 2016). Naikan therapy helps the …show more content…

Leaving them with feelings of “gratitude”, “indebtness”, “responsibility”, and a whole “new view of reality”. Western healing “validates the individual’s experiences”, while “tackling general” and “specific problems” in one’s “life” (Reynolds, 2016). Last but not least is the difference in settings for the healing process. Western psychotherapy is done through counseling (talking) usually once or twice a week depending on type and reason for therapy Rose, 2015). It’s done through “therapeutic relationships”, “dialogs”, and “communication” to help individual’s “overcome problematic thoughts, and/or behaviors”

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