Morita therapy is a therapy developed by Shoma Morita. The goal of Morita therapy is to have the patient accept life as it is and places an emphasis on letting nature take its course. Morita therapy views feeling emotions as part of the laws of nature. Morita therapy was originally developed to address shinkeishitsu, an outdated term used in Japan to describe patients who have various types of anxiety. Morita therapy was designed not to completely rid the patient of shinkeishitsu but to lessen the damaging effects. While Morita therapy has been described as cognate to Albert Ellis's rational-emotive therapy. Morita therapy also has commonalities with existential and cognitive behavioral therapy. Background Shoma Morita (1874–1938) was a psychiatrist, researcher, philosopher, and academic department chair at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo. Morita's training in Zen influenced his teachings, though Morita therapy is not a Zen practice. Underlying philosophy Morita therapy focuses on cultivating awareness and decentralizing the self. Aspects of mindfulness are contained in knowing what is controllable and what is not controllable, and seeing what is so without attachment to expectations. Feelings are acknowledged even when one does not act on them. The individual can focus on the full scope of the present moment and determine what needs to be done. Morita therapy seeks to have patients learn to accept fluctuations of thoughts and feelings and ground their behavior in reality. Cure is not defined by the alleviation of discomfort (which the philosophy of this approach opposes), but by taking action in one's life to not be ruled by one's emotional state. Morita's four stages Morita is a four-stage process of therapy involving: Absolute bed rest Occupational therapy (light) Occupational therapy (heavy) Complex activities The first stage, seclusion and rest, lasts from four to seven days. The patient is ordered to stay on absolute bed rest, even to take meals, only rising to use the restroom. When the patient expresses boredom and wishes to rise and be productive, then they may move to the second stage. During the second stage, patients are introduced to light and monotonous work that is conducted in silence. The second stage takes three to seven days. Patients may wash their face in the morning and evening, read aloud from the Kojiki, and write in a journal. In this phase, patients are also required to go outside, with a goal of a re-connection with