ation. Most clients and therapists use journaling as a way to generate client/therapist communication. A therapist also employs homework assignments consisting of ‘doing good deeds’ and saying things that show appreciation. Reynolds (1989) also describes how a client must also consider how objects as well as other human beings (p.191) serve them. Since Naikan therapy’s goal is to reach a higher consciousness, an ability to practice daily meditation at a constant place at a constant time is vital.Naikan Therapy in a Western ApproachIn Walsh’s book, he illustrates the use of Naikan Therapy in a western contextWith a 35 year old man trying to come to grips with a relationship breakup.“’M’ came to therapy with the desire to reduce stress and overcoming a generally “blue feeling”. ‘M’ reported that he felt a great deal of anger, yet even after expressing hisanger, he felt “stuck”. After explaining the Nakain form therapeutic intervention, ‘M’ was invited by the therapist to share his feelings. He talked for over an hour about hisstate if mind and how he thought he had been coping. TheP.5Therapist listened and asked only clarifying questions.The therapist’s sense of ‘M’’s condition is personifiedIn ‘M’’s imagery of how he saw his life. ‘M’ describedHis existence as: “Going down the road of life, mindingMy own business, and being attacked by colleagueswho disagreed with me. The viciousness of theirattacks was a real surprise and I felt myself being knocked down in the mud. The sorrow of their attacks seems to have somehow paralyzed me… I don’t feel likeI can get up, yet I see the usefulness of staying andwallowing in the mud.”After the client had mastered the skill of meditation, the therapist concentrated on the significant relationships in the client’s life wh...
