Psychotherapy is an effective tool in the treatment of many psychiatric conditions. Most psychotherapies were developed in the West and their application to minority ethnic groups is fraught with difficulties. In this paper we highlight some of the key issues that play a role in the therapist-patient interactions in different types of psycho therapies. The role of culture, race and ethnicity in relation to such an interaction is discussed. The main components of processes of psychotherapies are described and the role of training and research emphasized.