Abstract

Past decades have witnessed the cross-fertilization between Ch'an Buddhism and psychoanalysis, between Taoism and psychotherapy. However, theoretical as well as clinical work done in the area of Confucianism and clinical psychology has been lacking. ;This dissertation introduces Confucianism for the first time as a Confucian Psychology of Self-Cultivation. Confucian Psychology can provide modern clinicians with a wisdom-based counseling guideline for lifetime Self-improvement, transformation, and realization of higher life goals and Self ideal. Confucianism contributes to clinical psychology precisely with its unceasing effort to discover easily applicable Psychological Guiding Principles and Methods that can help a person to affirm, enhance, and up-lift one's life towards a higher level of well-being, maturity, and Self-realization. ;This dissertation has identified significant guiding principles and methods of living through in-depth discussion of three stages of Self-cultivation. These are the developmental stages of Self-learning, Self-examination, and Self-completion. It has also introduced clinical implications of Confucian principles and methods through the discussion of four cross-cultural case histories and clinical interventions. These presentations explore in a practical manner how clinicians can apply Confucian guiding principles and methods in everyday clinical practice. ;This dissertation has concluded that Confucian Psychology can help western clinicians to recognize the great importance of comprehending human development from a lifetime perspective of Self-cultivation. Clinicians can approach each patient's clinical condition as the person's ability to practice central problem solving and conflict resolution methods which can lead to a higher sense of life purpose, meaning and fulfillment. Furthermore, Confucian Psychology can help eastern clinicians to recognize the great importance of rediscovering Self psychology as a psychology of Self-cultivation. Thus clinicians can return to their traditions and approach modern psychology not only from a scientific, experimental, and empirical perspective, but also from a perennial, practical, and wisdom-based perspective. Clinicians can help revive the lost psychology of Self-cultivation as a lifetime process of becoming a person of virtue, integrity, and leadership