‘In asserting that ‘Mental disorders are not equal to madness’ Dr. Akita’s distinction between psychopathology and madness is clinically, culturally, and spiritually critical. He offers much evidence to support his claim that madness gets lost in the context of Western culture’s over-medicalization of psyche. In a world demonstrating increasing madness, this book offers a broader perspective on the dynamics of madness such as how to differentiate it from psychopathology.’- Jerome S. Bernstein, Jungian Analyst

‘Iwao Akita’s book invites the reader to wander with the author into embracing anew some key issues in psychiatry and depth psychology. His book challenges current psychiatric and psychological paradigms of diagnosis and treatment as too narrow to include the scope and depth of human madness as more than a mental health problem. It is an important book that is right for our time.’ - Robert D. Romanyshyn, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute, USA

‘This is a beautiful, challenging work. Dr. Akita and his translators have given us an invaluable corrective to the inadequacy and rigidity of contemporary psychological language. The mystery and ubiquity of psyche resists our attempts to contain it in convenient conceptual boxes. Dr. Akita draws us gently back to the questions we professionals most fear, those that remind us of how little we actually know: Why do we suffer? What is the cause of existence? This is not a reflection on the Japanese psyche. It is a gift from the Japanese psyche to psychology.’ - Sean Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, The Jung Center of Houston, USA

‘In asserting that ‘Mental disorders are not equal to madness’ Dr. Akita’s distinction between psychopathology and madness is clinically, culturally, and spiritually critical. He offers much evidence to support his claim that madness gets lost in the context of Western culture’s over-medicalization of psyche. In a world demonstrating increasing madness, this book offers a broader perspective on the dynamics of madness such as how to differentiate it from psychopathology.’- Jerome S. Bernstein, Jungian Analyst

‘Iwao Akita’s book invites the reader to wander with the author into embracing anew some key issues in psychiatry and depth psychology. His book challenges current psychiatric and psychological paradigms of diagnosis and treatment as too narrow to include the scope and depth of human madness as more than a mental health problem. It is an important book that is right for our time.’ - Robert D. Romanyshyn, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute, USA

‘This is a beautiful, challenging work. Dr. Akita and his translators have given us an invaluable corrective to the inadequacy and rigidity of contemporary psychological language. The mystery and ubiquity of psyche resists our attempts to contain it in convenient conceptual boxes. Dr. Akita draws us gently back to the questions we professionals most fear, those that remind us of how little we actually know: Why do we suffer? What is the cause of existence? This is not a reflection on the Japanese psyche. It is a gift from the Japanese psyche to psychology.’ - Sean Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, The Jung Center of Houston, USA

Iwao Akita, M.D., Ph.D., is a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, and Jungian analyst. He received his academic degrees from Kōchi Medical School, Japan, and completed training as a Jungian analyst atthe C. G. Jung Institute in Zürich. Dr. Akita is a professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Kyoto Bunkyo University. He has also been instrumental in the development of analytical psychology in Japan, serving in leadership roles for both the Japan Association of Jungian Psychology (JAJP) and the Association of Jungian Analysts, Japan (AJAJ) over many years. His works include many publications and several books in Japanese.