This article is an excerpt from a paper named “Chinese culture encounters western interpersonal group psychotherapy”
Author: Winnie Fei, Ruthellen Josselson, Molyn Leszcz
｜ We cannot tell someone about our culture unless we can get sufficiently outside it to observe it.
在中国文化中，中国人往往会不展示自己的真实情感。在公开场合展示自己的情感，会让自己感到羞耻。
压抑与展示情感 suppression vs expression of feeling
在中国，有一个词叫正能量。人们被教育着，只展示积极的情绪，压抑消极的情绪。但消极的情绪是真实存在的。
在群体治疗中，中国人往往发现展示负面情绪，既很震撼，也很自由。
诗经中，处处都是情绪。对情绪的压抑，始于汉代焚书坑儒。功利主义兴起，对金钱与权利的追求甚嚣尘上。
感受被认为是无用的，引起麻烦，降低工作效率。
对规则的遵守与反思 the primacy of rules vs a reflective mind
中国人从小就被教育怎样的行为是正确的。如何说话办事。
当T-Group中没有一个既定的规则时，人们感到无所适从。
个人边界感 boundaries and the loss of freedom and autonomy
在中国文化中，个人边界感是缺失的。
“照顾好他人“成了自己的行动指南。活的让她人满意，背后的悲凉驱动力是无价值感。
父母对子女有恩，子女背着父母的养育之债。责任与义务充斥着人的生活。
生活在这样的环境中，人们往往忘记了自己想要什么。
共情与解决问题 fixing is more important than understanding
中国文化中，人们show care的方式， 往往是给你建议，帮你解决问题。
然而，有时我们往往需要的，是be with me. stay with me. share what you feel.
Time and time again members experience that what changes them almost never comes from advice, but from the presence of the group in the here-and-now and seeing patterns they never envisioned. In a group, problem patterns emerge, helping members understand their role and impact in their relationship world. It is empowering in unexpected ways.
接受不完美 Perfectionism and the importance of the ideal appearance
In Chinese culture, for many people, being a “good” person is more important than being a “real” person. Parents and teachers consistently point out children’s shortcomings. Small imperfections and failings repeatedly lead to humiliation and demoralization.
Chinese education generates obedient and hardworking people, rather than creative, passionate and joyful people.
The therapy group becomes the first place where it becomes possible and safe to accept one’s imperfections. The shift from dread of exposing inadequacy to acceptance and affirmation requires the group leader’s capacity to invite and tolerate criticism of their leadership.
It is extremely important that leaders work through their own fear of not being good enough. It is human nature for all novice leaders to feel anxious about leadig a group. The leader needs to be able to endure and contain negative feelings from the group and accept whatever happens in the group at the present moment to carry forward the work.
无意识的群体动态 unconscious group dynam
Painful emotions deriving from childhood are frequently repressed and often unavailable to the conscious mind. Many times, in groups, members gain much more than they were expecting as unconscious dynamics are made manifest and understood.
童年经历的痛苦，在processing group中往往被放大，释放出来。这对当事者而言，会把潜意识里的伤害浮现到意识层面，进行进一步处理，疗愈。
“We also learned a great deal about the particular pains and social injustice that women in Chinese society endure”
委屈与敌意 Feeling aggrieved and hostile
In daily life in china, it is common for people to suppress humiliation and anger and to be full of grievances that they feel they must quietly endure.
“我的愤怒，是否也是被压抑着的？”
“In the therapy group members may access hurt, anger and aggression. Members are encouraged to express anger, especially toward authority and leaders. The courage to speak out about the real pain and suppressed anger is recognized and affirmed in front of everyone.”
“宋博不是完美的”
权威与责任 authority and responsibility
Chinese group members look to people in authority to define what is right and wrong.
You are responsible for your own emotions. It is hard to be hurt without your permission.
There are some negative feelings that others’ words aroused in me. Ask myself where that feeling comes from, and what makes the other person’s words trigger my memory.
OK, following is Bo’s review to this paper.
- There are several more characteristics of people influneced by the Chinese culture that were not discussed in this paper. For example, talking in a indirect way. I was educated in China/by my family to talk in a implicit/reserved way.
- Some assertions in this paper is too absolute.