Culturally Sensitive Psychotherapies in Confucian Societies

This article describes self-cultivation practices originating from the cultural traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. It delineates the therapeutic implications of the three states of self pursued by these three traditions: namely, the relational self, the authentic self, and the nonself. Several psychotherapy techniques derived from each of these traditions are discussed in the context of contemporary Confucian societies in east asia and North america. The indigenous approach to understanding psychotherapies within a cultural context may contribute to the training program of multicultural counseling psychology.