Existential Therapy and Emotions: Lessons from Cross-Cultural Exchange

Abstract

Existential therapy affirms that emotions are a given of human existence, experienced by all people regardless of culture. However, the experience and expression of emotion is highly influenced by culture, including influencing whether an emotion is perceived as healthy or problematic. Unfortunately, many Western approaches to psychology are prone to pathologizing the way different cultures experience emotion. In this article, the cultural exchange between United States, Bahamian, and Chinese culture is used to illustrate different ways of perceiving, experiencing, and expressing emotion, all of which can be healthy within their own cultural context, but often be oppressive and problematic in others. Cultural exchanges such as this can be highly instructive in helping therapist develop the necessary skills to work with client emotions in a culturally sensitive manner inclusive of varied approaches to emotions.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Louis Hoffman

Louis Hoffman is an executive faculty member at Saybrook University and a licensed psychologist. He is author/editor of five books, including Existential Psychology East-West and Brilliant Sanity: Buddhist Approaches to Psychotherapy. Dr. Hoffman served as a co-chair of the First International Conference on Existential Psychology in Naning, China, and will also co-chair the second conference in Shanghai, China, in 2012. An avid writer and presenter, Dr. Hoffman regularly presents on topics including existential psychology, cultural and diversity issues, and spiritual/religious issues nationally and internationally.

Heatherlyn P. Cleare-Hoffman

Heatherlyn P. Cleare-Hoffman, Psy.D., is an assistant professor at the University of the Rockies, School of Professional Psychology. She is a contributor to Existential Psychology East-West with her chapter, “Junkanoo: A Bahamian Cultural Myth.” Originally from the Bahamas, Dr. Cleare-Hoffman has presented internationally on issues related to diversity, culture, existential-humanistic psychology, and marriage and family therapy. She also continues to see clients and supervise doctoral students at the Center for Growth, PC, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her professional interests include diversity issues, marriage and family therapy, humanistic psychology, and supervision. This paper was constructed from a synthesis of a presentation given by Louis Hoffman at the First International Conference on Existential Psychology, Nanjing, China, April, 2010, and invited presentations by Louis Hoffman and Heatherlyn Cleare-Hoffman at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, April, 2010.