Five things western therapists need to know for working with Chinese therapists and patients

Abstract

Beneath the many stereotypes of Chinese characteristics common in the West, there are complexities of Chinese culture and personality not well understood by psychoanalysts and analytic therapists. Knowing something about these can be critically helpful to Western colleagues who wish to teach effectively in China. This presentation outlines cultural issues concerning Confucian and related values, changes in family and marital structure, changes in the role and practice of sex, the effect of widespread national and individual trauma in China in the twentieth century, and changes in the nature of individualism in Chinese personality. These five factors come to bear whenever Western analysts and psychotherapists teach Chinese analytic therapists and/or treat Chinese patients.

Psychoanalysis in China: an Essay on the Recent Literature in English

“…This program is designed to train advanced clinicians in the conduct of psychoanalytic couple therapy and family therapy. In conjunction with the program, we and our colleagues have written a series of papers introducing these modalities (J. S. Scharff andD. E. Scharff 2011, 2015; Shi Qijia and J. S. Scharff 2011; Wanlass 2014).…”

“…For a succinct summary of the factors that form the context for the introduction of psychoanalysis into China, see D. E Scharff (2014)…”