Personal Experience of the Therapeutic Efficacy and Psychological Mechanism of Naikan Therapy

Abstract

  Established by Ishin Yoshimoto in 1953, Naikan therapy is a psychotherapy rooted in Oriental culture. During April 3-11, the author underwent a Naikan therapy retreat for 80 hours in total at the Osaka Naikan Institute under the direction of Mieko Hariki. Through Naikan therapy, the author developed a positive attitude towards work, family and interpersonal relationships and experienced a spiritual refreshment and optimistic mood. The psychological mechanism involved is to direct clients to introspect their life about what they have received from others, thus stimulating them to reconstruct their view of life and better understand their past. Naikan therapy is helpful for clients to develop the sense of shame for their wrongdoing, regain social involvement and trust in other people and the world, reshape their self-image and the image of others in their mind, and enhance self-control. Naikan therapy is expected to be promising in preventing mental disorders and promoting mental health for people with a background of Oriental culture.