Dr. Kenji Kitanishi (M.D., psychiatrist) is the Chair of the International Committee for Morita Therapy (ICMT) and the Director of the Institute of Morita Therapy and Kitanishi Clinic (Tokyo, Japan) where he currently practises outpatient Morita therapy and investigates theoretical and clinical themes and issues related to Morita therapy. He is the past president (2005-2011) of the Japanese Society for Morita Therapy (JSMT). He served as the Director (1975-1995) of Jikei University School of Medicine’s Institute of Morita Therapy at Daisan Hospital, which is now called Jikei University Centre for Morita Therapy. He continues to take a leading role in the professional training of Morita therapists. He coordinates seminar series, regularly offered in Tokyo and Osaka, for the training and certification of outpatient Morita therapists. He is the 9th recipient of the Shoma Morita Award. He is a JSMT-certified Morita therapist physician.
Dr. Kitanishi received his medical degree from the Jikei University School of Medicine in 1970. He was a Professor of Social Welfare in the Faculty of Integrated Arts and Science at Japan Women’s University until his retirement in 2011. His professional affiliations include: World Psychiatric Association (Section of Cultural Psychiatry), Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology, Japanese Society for Morita Therapy, Japanese Society of Transcultural Psychiatry, and East Asian Academy of Cultural Psychiatry. His areas of interest include psychotherapy in general, Morita therapy, cultural psychiatry, and Asian philosophy and religion. He has published numerous journal articles, books, and book chapters in both Japanese and English. His hobby is scuba diving in Okinawa.