March Book of the Month
written by Marnie McGann
Growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s, it was impossible not to notice how Eastern culture began to influence the Western world. The Beatles met the Maharishi in 1968 and traveled to India to meditate and eat vegetarian food and the sound of the sitar crept into George Harrison’s music. The Nehru jacket had a brief fashion moment. My sister joined an Eastern religious cult, lived in a commune, and ate vegetarian food. Gauzy, cotton clothing from the East was imported and often worn with jeans and clogs.
In the following decades, what had appeared to be a fad was obviously a trend. Today we don’t think twice when someone takes a yoga or Tai Chi class, sees an acupuncturist, orders a matcha latte at Starbucks, or eats a ramen bowl, tofu, or hummus for lunch. The West had met the East and what started as a whisper became more of a holler. That’s why it should be no surprise that a few decades ago psychotherapy took the high road East with Whispers from the East, written by Frances E. Steinberg and Richard E. Whiteside.
This book offers a unique and bold perspective on how the ancient healing principles from Eastern culture can be effectively applied in modern Western psychotherapy. But as its title suggests it is not a strong assertion, rather it is a gentle nudge to think outside the box, to be creative with therapy, and to consider ancient healing practices that have been used for centuries. To illustrate how this can be done, the authors weave together many case studies with the rich, cultural history and healing philosophies of diverse Eastern places and they provide examples of how Eastern principles can be applied in psychotherapy. Throughout the book, we are also treated to the wisdom of the ancient East with quotes from Lao tzu.
Holistic therapists, those who think systemically rather than systematically will appreciate this book. In the introduction, the authors explain that in Eastern healing all things are connected. That the body, mind, and spirit are interconnected and that a shift in one place affects the whole. They write: “The interrelationship of emotion and physical well-being has attracted increasing attention on both the part of therapy and medicine…” For example, depression cannot be solely a psychological problem, and it cannot be a purely physical one. Body, mind, and spirit only exist in relation to each other.
In Part One, the building blocks of Eastern medicine—Qi, Xue, Jing, and Shen—are explored. The authors write: “The physiology of Eastern medicine is very different from that of the West. (In the East) … organs are functional rather than anatomical, and the body contains patterns and substances that are not listed in any Western medical textbook.” For example, for authors say, “Individuals who barricade themselves against social or emotional involvement have overprotective qi functions,” And for shen, which is one’s spirit, will, and sense: “Psychopathic personalities can also be seen as deliberately manipulating their shen. Their outward façade can be charming, concealing a far darker side. At other times, a powerful shen can be used to manipulate others in an interpersonal situation.”
Creating a diagnosis in Eastern and Western culture is compared. In Eastern healing, the practitioner will be looking, listening, and smelling (same word in Chinese), asking, and touching before forming a diagnosis. Now it would be a stretch for a psychotherapist to be smelling and touching a client to form a diagnosis, but these are the differences to consider in the cultures. Eastern diagnoses are also generally more flexible than Western diagnoses. In Eastern healing the problem or condition is believed to be a combination of past and current events…and the person’s constitutional strengths and weaknesses. And an Eastern diagnosis is fluid not static. A client is not defined by a label, as the Western DSM might suggest.
In Part Two, the authors embrace the eight principles of Eastern medicine: yin and yang, internal and external, heat and cold, excess and deficiency, and provide examples of how these can be incorporated into Western psychotherapeutic practice. They write, “The ebb and flow of yin and yang can often be seen during the course of therapy. At times, a client will take a more active role; at other points, they may be withdrawn and passive. The therapeutic exchange works best when the therapists can adapt to the changing stances of the client, adjusting his or her position to compensate for the fluctuation.” For the concept of internal and external: “Because of the relative severity and intractability of internal problems, Eastern healing protocols avoid pulling acute, external problems to a deeper level. In the same way, a psychotherapist is unlikely to suggest to a client that the reason he or she was snubbed by a coworker was that the client is unworthy of love but is much more likely to help the client frame it as a contextual event.”
The authors also delve into how the eight Eastern principles are used to form diagnoses. Determining the roots and branches of a problem is crucial. “The eight principles,” they write, “are critical to the development of treatment plans in Eastern healing, but there is also a consideration of a problem’s root and branch relationship. The root of a difficulty is similar to the concept of an underlying problem in therapy. It is the basis of a disease, the primary factor causing the problem.” Presenting problems in psychotherapy are not usually the underlying issue. The branches of a problem can be diverse, but they all lead back to the root problem. “Because branches are more external than roots,” the authors say, “they are often easier to access and are more easily changed. If a root structure is defective, however, no amount of pruning will save the tree.” An assessment can be made of the branch problems and of the root problem. If there is an acute branch problem, that can be given precedence. For example, if someone is suicidal, it would be best to stabilize them first before digging deep into their history to establish the root cause of their despair.
In Part Three of the book, the five elements that describe one’s internal landscape—Earth, Metal/Air, Water, Wood, and Fire—are presented as well as their adaptation to modern psychotherapy. Each of the elements are associated with a particular color, season, sense organ, tissue, climate, process, emotion, sound, flavor, smell, dreams, function, spiritual aspect and an organ or organs. For example, Wood is associated with green, springtime, eyes/vision, muscles and tendons, wind, birth, anger, shouting (sound), sour (flavor) rancid (smell), fatigue, wood, mushrooms (dreams), move Qi (function), soul and decision making, and liver and gallbladder. In this part of the book, there is a chart detailing each element and its associations, several diagrams on how the elements affect each other, and illustrative cases so that the reader can grasp the relationship between Eastern elements and Western psychotherapy.
The brief chapter on concluding thoughts remind the reader that everything is interconnected, part of a web. The authors write that a systemic approach is inevitable because everything counts—what you had for breakfast, how your commute to work went, your history, the weather, the culture, even “the paint on the house next door…” are woven into the fabric of your life and thus, your problems. Separation of any elements creates boundaries and limits solutions. Readers are also reminded that the therapist’s intent and focus are crucial. “Samurai traditionally achieved this,” the authors say, “by visualizing themselves as living each moment as if their hair was on fire.”
Therapists should also work to strengthen clients’ “antipathogenic qi,” so that they can insulate themselves against life’s stressors. “The ultimate goal of therapy,” the authors write, “should always be to prepare clients to handle their next trauma.”
Therapists should also work to provide movement, to initiate change is some part of the system. If you are thinking systemically, then you know that a change in one area can produce a change in another. The eight Eastern principles and the law of five elements suggest appropriate directions for change. But the authors advise that therapists proceed with caution because clients can be hesitant and fearful of change.
Diagnoses should be flexible and serve a function. And finally, everything is relative It’s the yin and yang of life: “By letting go of our absolutes, our truth with a capital ‘T,’ we learn both flexibility and compassion.”
Whispers from the East is well organized and easy to read. The prose is simple and succinct and clear explanations of the principles and elements are provided. However, at times, it feels it bit confusing when the authors apply the fundamental principles and the Law of the Five elements to therapy. For example, I had to read the following passage several times and refer back to the charts and graphs (and still I was confused): “Paul’s frantic lifestyle had consumed vital essence, jing, and produced a deficiency of Water energetics. The decreased level of water energy meant that the next element, Wood, was not sufficiently cooled or nourished. Paul’s temper flared and he experienced fits and starts of a nonflowing Liver system. In turn, Wood became incapable of generating enough Fire energy, resulting in sleeping problems, palpitations and lack of joy. The diminished Fire caused an Earth deficiency, producing isolation in the home, rumination, and an attempt to restore energetic levels by increasing food intake. The overconsumption of food in Paul’s deficient state, however created a further stagnation and an inability to provide the Metal element with proper nourishment to generate qi. What began as a disruption of a single element created ramifications throughout the entire system.”
Additionally, there is a lot to cover when it comes to Eastern principles and practices, but the authors generally do a good job knitting together the basic aspects of Eastern healing culture with therapy examples. Whispers from the East is a generously crafted text that brings us into the diverse world of Eastern thought and culture. What struck me most was the amount of knowledge the authors have about this subject and how adept they are in integrating these principles to life in psychotherapy.
This book is not only for therapists interested in learning how they can use Eastern philosophies in their practice, but it is also for those generally fascinated with philosophy, spirituality, and global culture. It is a testimony on how we are all influenced by each other and by everything around us. Infusing your psychotherapy sessions with ancient wisdom and practice could be the inspiring fresh whisper you need.
In the pursuit of learning every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.— Lao-tzu
