Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) psychotherapy in contemporary China: a qualitative study of TCM practitioners' perspectives

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a distinct system with a profound history and a comprehensive scholarship. TCM posits a different understanding of the human body, mind, and mental health disorders compared to Western medicine. Research is limited on the application of TCM to mental health treatment, and few studies have examined TCM practitioners’ views about using TCM to treat mental health disorders. With the rise of Western psychotherapy in China, the resulting need for indigenizing Western theories and practices, and the emergence of the discipline of TCM psychology, interest has grown in exploring TCM when treating Chinese individuals with mental health disorders. Fourteen TCM practitioners in mainland China completed semi-structured interviews focused on their conceptualization and treatment of mental health disorders. A team of six coders used thematic analysis to code the interview data, generating 14 themes. Results suggested the interviewees employed knowledge and theories from TCM and multiple other disciplines to understand the mental health disorders of their Chinese clients. Findings also indicated that, when working with their clients, interviewees generated diverse and individualized treatment plans depending on their clients’ presenting concerns, applied a wide range of interventions, and weighed various factors (e.g., their time and capacity to assist patients, patients’ needs and preferences, and advantages and disadvantages of various treatment approaches) in the provision of their services. Interviewees’ understanding and treatment of mental health disorders reflected medical pluralism, revealed crucial issues in the current therapeutic milieu, and unveiled a host of sociocultural changes in contemporary Chinese society. Results have implications for developing indigenous therapeutic approaches and culturally relevant treatment programs in China, training TCM practitioners, and creating and implementing health care policies in contemporary China. Additionally, findings have implications for further research strategies about TCM psychotherapy and integrative medicine. Strengths and limitations of the study are articulated.