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.