2025.04.04

The genius of classical hypnosis, the founder of Morita therapy, Masama Morita "The Revolution of the Mind as It Is"

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Masatake Morita (born January 18, 1874 – died April 12, 1938), who lived from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, was a great medical scientist and thinker who deeply engraved his name in Japan psychiatry.

In particular, he is widely known for creating a unique psychiatric treatment method known as "Morita Therapy" that sets it apart from conventional psychotherapy.

His life was not limited to mere medical explorations, but was a complex intertwining of personal struggles, philosophical speculations, and deep insights into human existence, which in turn led to the birth of innovative psychotherapy.

Even today, many years after its announcement, the treatment is widely accepted and practiced both domestically and internationally as an effective treatment for many mental problems, especially anxiety disorders and neuroses.

Article Contents

Morita Therapy: As It Is

Morita Therapy: As It Is

By delving deeper into the life and achievements of Masama Morita, we will be able to get closer to his humanity and the essence of Morita therapy that he created, and reexamine its significance in modern society.

The upbringing and formation of Masama Morita

Masama Morita took the first steps in his life in Kochi Prefecture, surrounded by abundant nature. From an early age, he had a unique sensitivity that was different from that of other children, and his sensitive mind was expressed in a strong fear of death and disease. These experiences left a deep scar on his own mind, while at the same time fostering a deep understanding and insight into the emotions of anxiety and fear that lurk deep within the human heart.

He went on to study medicine at Tokyo Imperial University Medical College, which was a place where he could learn the most advanced academic subjects in society at the time.

While in college, he was exposed to Western medical thought and treatments, and began to question existing psychiatry. Psychiatry at that time focused on treating the patient's symptoms as a disease, identifying and eliminating its causes.

However, Morita begins to hypothesize that mental anguish may not be just a disease, but is closely related to the individual's personality and psychological mechanisms.

He pointed out that neurasthenia and anxiety-related disorders are deeply related not only to physical factors, but also to the psychological reactions of individuals, especially to a peculiar personality tendency called "nervousness". Then, based on this concept of "nervousness," we begin to explore a completely new approach that is different from conventional psychotherapy.

During his career in medicine, Morita was also enthusiastic about the most advanced treatments of the time, such as hypnotherapy and bed rest.

These experiences broadened his perspective on treatment, while at the same time making him keenly aware of the complexities of the human mind and the limitations of conventional treatments.

In particular, after witnessing that hypnotherapy only provides a temporary effect and does not lead to a fundamental solution, Morita is determined to search for a treatment that goes deeper and gets to the root of the human mind.

In 1903, the culmination of these studies and observations led to the foundation of a unique therapeutic approach that led to Morita therapy. It was the moment of the birth of a truly innovative treatment that set it apart from conventional psychiatry.

The core of Morita therapy: Acceptance as it is

The core concept of Morita therapy is simple, yet very profound, which is the acceptance of "things as they are."

This is the idea of accepting emotions and physical symptoms as a natural phenomenon rather than denying them or trying to eliminate them.

Morita pointed out the fact that emotions such as anxiety and fear occur naturally in human life, and that excessive attempts to eliminate them can actually worsen symptoms.

In conventional psychotherapy, the mainstream approach is to identify the cause of the symptoms and try to eliminate them, but in Morita therapy, the emphasis is on accepting symptoms as part of the self rather than just an enemy, and living in a way that includes them.

This concept of acceptance of "as it is" has the power to significantly change the patient's self-perception.

Accepting symptoms as "a part of you" rather than seeing them as an enemy reduces over-attention to symptoms and leads to unconditional acceptance of the self. This allows patients to live their lives more freely and independently without being swayed by their symptoms.

The conflict between "the desire for life" and "the fear of death"

Morita believed that at the heart of human psychological conflicts is always the primordial desire to live and the equally fundamental fear of death.

He pointed out that these two emotions have a significant impact on human behavior and psychological states.

Emotions such as anxiety and fear are said to appear more strongly when the "desire for life" is inhibited in some way, and one of the important objectives of Morita therapy is to find the cause and eliminate it.

Morita therapy emphasizes the release of "raw desires" and the promotion of self-realization as individuals.

Encourage patients to be honest with their inner desires and impulses and take action to realize them. Through this process, patients can increase their self-efficacy and find their own way of life.

History of the development of Morita therapy

Even after the prototype was completed, Morita himself continued to improve it and systematized it as a more practical treatment.

In 1919, Morita therapy began to take shape as a form of treatment, and was subsequently taken over by many colleagues and disciples while he taught as a professor at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo.

Especially since the 1920s, this therapy has been widely applied and recognized for its effectiveness in the field of mental disorders such as neurasthenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder, for which effective treatments were not established at the time.

Morita's disciples delved deeper into the theory of Morita therapy and made its practice more sophisticated.

Through their research and practice, Morita therapy spread throughout Japan and played a role in freeing many people from mental anguish. Especially during the turbulent period after World War II, the demand for people's mental health care increased, and Morita therapy gained a lot of support due to its simplicity and high effectiveness.

Development and Spread of Application from the Postwar to the Present

After the post-war reconstruction period, as society became more complex and the number of people suffering from stress increased, Morita therapy was used in a wide range of fields, including mental health support in educational settings and workplaces, beyond the boundaries of the medical field.

In the 1970s, the theory and practice of Morita therapy became widely known to society and understood by the general public. In 1983, the Japan Morita Therapy Society was established to promote the development and dissemination of academic research, and to provide a forum for sharing new knowledge and practical methods through annual conferences.

In modern research, the scope of application of Morita therapy has been further expanded. Applications have been reported for various diseases with psychosomatic symptoms, such as depression, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), chronic pain, and even atopic dermatitis.

In the field of occupational mental health, Morita therapy has also been recognized for its usefulness, and Morita therapy plays an important role in psychological support for workers suffering from anxiety.

Specific approaches to support Morita therapy

Morita therapy emphasizes not only the theory but also the specific methods of practice. One of the most important approaches is a treatment policy that aims to elucidate and overcome "mental interactions" and achieve self-growth.

Elucidation and Overcoming "Mental Interactions"

Morita pointed out that patients pay excessive attention to their own anxieties and fears, creating a vicious cycle called "mental interaction" that creates additional anxiety. In order to break this vicious cycle, it is important to reduce excessive attention to symptoms and focus on your actions and life as a whole. Morita therapy encourages patients to reduce excessive attention to symptoms and maximize their abilities through specific actions in daily life.

Treatment goals aimed at self-growth

The ultimate goal of Morita therapy is not only to alleviate symptoms, but also to help patients accept themselves as they are and take positive action in their daily lives. Through this process, the patient develops self-efficacy and moves in the direction of achieving a way of life that is unique to him. Morita therapy is not just a treatment, but a method to promote the inner growth of the patient and support self-realization, which is truly a method to promote personal growth.

International Dissemination and Evaluation of Morita Therapy

Due to the certainty of its effectiveness, Morita therapy is now recognized and practiced not only in Japan but also in various countries such as North America, China, and South Korea. In the midst of international academic exchanges, the International Morita Therapy Society was established, and further development of both the theory and practice of Morita therapy is expected.

In addition, self-help groups such as the "Life Discovery Society" play a major role in the spread of Morita therapy as a place for patients to share their experiences and support each other. These groups function not only as a place for treatment, but also as a community where patients share their struggles and grow together.

Summary: The Legacy of Morita Therapy

The Morita therapy bequeathed by Masama Morita continues to have timeless value as a treatment that pursues the patient's own inner growth and a more fulfilling life, not just as a relief of symptoms. Its philosophical and practical methods will become increasingly important in responding to the diverse spiritual challenges of modern society.

As Morita Therapy's research and practice deepens, its influence is expected to expand further both in Japan and overseas.

It can be said that the life and achievements of Masama Morita are a valuable legacy that reminds us of the complexity of the human mind and its potential.

Morita therapy is not just a treatment method, but a philosophy of life that makes you think deeply about how to live as a human being.

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