ISBN : 9782296553248
CLASSICAL MORITA THERAPY
Morita Shoma, MD (1874-1938) was a pioneering psychiatrist who practiced in Japan at the turn of the last century. Though a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, Maria Montessori, Jean Charcot and William James, he was philosophically aligned with Zen Buddhism. In response to his own clinical observations, he created a highly structured form of residential care consisting of four stages. Morita was disillusioned with the state of mental health care, particularly as he watched patients being confined in dismal places and treated in ways that reinforced their despair. In response, he began treating patients in his home environment in a rural setting, with an initial emphasis on rest. He progressed his therapy to include diary, art, and outdoor activities with observations of nature, while n...