A Comparative Study on the Psychotherapies between Western and Oriental Medicine

Objectives: Oriental psychotherapy and western psychotherapy in Korea were investigated in order to develop a new oriental psychotherapeutic model for modern Korean. Methods: Oriental psychotherapy and Western psychotherapy were compared and investigated in some viewpoints such as cognition, behaviour, emotion and ultimate purposes for the therapies. Cultural differences are examined, too. Results: There are clear differences between two psychotherapies. It seems that cognition is more important than behaviour or emotion in western psychotherapy. On the other hand, emotion is more important than cognition or behaviour in oriental psychotherapy. Ultimate purposes for the therapies are also different because of cultural differences. Conclusions: New oriental psychotherapeutic model considering cultural differences and merits of two therapies is needed.