Ma Kyung-hee

Soon after starting my master's program in social work in the United States, I scheduled my first therapy appointment to cope with the adjustment challenges I experienced as an international student. Upon arrival, I was asked to complete several self-assessments before being ushered into the therapist's office. Growing up in Korea, where psychotherapy is culturally unacceptable, I was unsure of what to expect.

Remembering what I saw in Hollywood movies, I tried to lie down on the couch. It was far too small, and I struggled to squeeze myself into it, thinking that that was what I was supposed to do until the therapist corrected my misconception. Most of our time together consisted of awkward smiles, shy shrugs and unsettling silences. Our limited conversation was mundane and superficial, as I was not ready to share my private concerns with a total stranger. I did not trust that someone who shared no cultural or ethnic similarities with me could resolve my problems. After the session, I mulled over returning to the next session and decided to wait until I better understood psychotherapy and its methods.

Psychotherapy refers to a range of treatment options aimed at helping people identify and address troublesome thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Most psychotherapy takes place on a face-to-face........

© The Korea Times