Two Opposing Ends of a Holistic Spectrum:

Eastern Philosophy & Western Psychotherapy

By: Gideon C. Miller

Salt Lake Community College
August 1, 2018
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Putting Eastern Philosophy into Western Psychotherapies is a nonexperimental, natural

observational article written by doctors Joan Atwood and Lawrence Maltin that uses qualitative

data to persuade Western Psychotherapists to adopt more Eastern spiritual leanings in their

treatment of psychology and patients. Several new ideas for implementing Eastern Philosophy

into Western Sciences (and the reasons behind the need) were made from the viewpoint of

several different philosophers so that modern psychotherapy questionings and advancements

could be made to help current Western Psychotherapeutic practices.

These ideas stem from comparing the differences between Eastern Philosophy, Western

Physics, and Social Systems Theories. As each scientific discipline has advanced, evidence has

continually proved the applicable flexibility and simplicity of Eastern Philosophy, in each one a

“self-transcendent” element that is much more open minded than strict intellectual western

culture. The two authors who wrote this article describe how Eastern Philosophy’s Mysticism or

Spirituality can aid people in their mental illnesses (like despair, meaninglessness, and anxiety)

seeing their suffering and struggles as stepping stones by accepting what is and viewing life in a

different reality. Some of the techniques the authors include are Mindfulness, Centeredness, and

Realization of Self, while also encouraging other active Eastern leanings like meditation,

relaxation, visualization, or even Yoga. The ultimate goal of Eastern Mysticism is to attain to a

state of “Enlightenment,” where insights like lightning can “illuminate one’s mind and increase

one’s vision.” (p. 373) One of the key perspectives is seeing that feelings cannot be controlled,

but come and go like different trends in the weather, bolstering their hypothesis of moving past

fundamental entities that prevent progress through Externalism (or Blame) by lending new ideas

on how to heal complex ailments of the mind. The result of the article is that a synthesis of
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philosophies is not needed but a “final dialectic, integrative…dynamic interplay between

mystical intuition and scientific analysis.” (p. 38)

A profound meaning is found behind these conclusions, stating that new treatments don’t

necessarily have to be entirely brand new to be effective. Working treatment like ECT

(electroconvulsive therapy), TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation), and Ketamine infusions

can still be employed, but can be taught by social and psychological professionals working to

integrate ideas that are philosophically Eastern but not religion specific. They do this because

Psychotherapy is not treatment-based, and it needs something to supplement it.

Acknowledging the human potential to create both positive scientific breakthroughs and

destructive ones, the authors point out the socio-psychological trends that are inhibiting society’s

and individual’s self-transcendent progress. Eastern Philosophies go against Western Physics,

that postulates there is a fundamental building block to all things, believed to be Matter. But with

the introduction of the New Physics, there is suddenly a new option of looking at the world:

through processes that are interconnected and affecting of each other. (p. 370) In Social Systems,

all parts work together to create order, and therefore there is a need to create a new

developmental stage of growth. Vulnerability and its rawness (that void and step between what is

known and unknown), states Eastern Philosophy, is necessary to experience to fulfill one’s true

potential.

Atwood’s and Maltin’s article is a positive one and offers several alternative options to

Psychotherapy to complement their western efforts, including active options like Meditation.

This corresponds with current philosophies such as Bioenergetics (Hulse, 2012) that say physical

exercises can aid mental processes. The article also encouraged Self-actualization after treatment,
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which was notably pragmatic. Alan Watts once said, “Life ceases to be problematic when it is

understood that the ego is a social fiction.” (Watts, 2017 [orig: 1961])

While delving into some specific details of Eastern Philosophy and how it can be applied

to the western culture, the article does not tell specific practices, which may be better described

in other sources, including Alan Watts and Elliot Hulse. If Eastern Philosophies are to be used to

complement and even increase Western effectiveness, there will need to be very specific outlines

as to how it can be done—depending somewhat arbitrarily on the interpretation and trained

responses of the “hovering” therapist/facilitator and his reactions to his patients’ opening-up (p.

374-5) Eastern Philosophy is talked about as a type of “Mysticism,” which could be more readily

stated as Spirituality. The authors tried very hard to stay away from any type of religious

attachment or affiliation in their article, but they do acknowledge that western science has

approached an area of “mystic vision of which seers and sages of all traditions have spoken.” (p.

371) This left this reader feeling somewhat confused and a little disappointed that more was not

said on the subject. The term “spirituality” is much preferred over “mysticism,” which carries a

negative connotation in most minds of western thinkers. Unfortunately, a jump was made near

the end of the article that could not be proven. In stating that western science has merged into

more relationships and correlations (and there may not be the basic building blocks of matter

once thought), the authors state that there are “no fundamental laws” (p. 380) and therefore

“[the] properties of any part are determined, not by some fundamental law but by the properties

of all the other parts.” (p. 381) I disagree and believe that such a jump from abandoning the

fundamental building blocks of matter to abandoning Universal law cannot be substantiated.

In summary, Putting Eastern Philosophy into Western Psychotherapies is a positive

approach to an idea that is becoming more and more a reality: that of incorporating Eastern ways
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of thinking into Western methods of science. The authors were very organized and convincing in

their ideas. Certainly, the West could benefit from Taoism and Buddha’s “basic intelligence.”

Especially because our world today is indeed the best of times and the worst of times.
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References

Atwood, J. D., & Maltin, L. (1991). Putting Eastern philosophies into Western psychotherapies.

American Journal of Psychotherapy, 45(3), 368. Retrieved from Psychology and

Behavioral Health Libguides from http://libguides.slcc.edu/psychology (Main Critique

Article)

Gordon, S (2015, April 20). Eastern versus Western psychology. (2018, June 11). Retrieved

from https://www.saybrook.edu/unbound/eastern-western-psychology/

Hulse, E. (2012, August). The Four Layers of Strength. Retrieved from

http://hulsestrength.com/page/4layersfinal-3.pdf

Watts, A. (2017). Psychotherapy east and west (2017 ed.).