The thesis discusses the similarities between Western psychotherapy and Eastern contemplative
traditions. First, the concept of the social game is presented, which describes the dynamics of social
relationships and explains how this leads to the development of human personality and how
sociaety's expectations of the individual can lead to the development of various mental disorders.
It explains what is meant by the term social game, why the term game is used, where the concept
originates from, what it means to be normal in society, and what is the biggest mistake society
makes in understanding the functioning of interpersonal relationships. Then the concept of the ego
is introduced, answering what the ego is, how it is formed, where the idea originates, and it is
placed in the context of the social game. The following section highlights aspects of the
psychotherapeutic discipline that have enabled its productive development, with Freud's idea of the
unconscious being highlighted as the most fundamental and at the same time most important
concept. It also answers what the goal of psychotherapy is, what it lacks to achieve its goal more
consistently, what has been done about it, and what is the most important quality for a
psychotherapist. Finally, these aspects of psychotherapy are compared with concepts and ideas
originating from Eastern contemplative traditions, with an emphasis on Buddhism.
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