Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective

Thoughts Without a Thinker is the landmark book that brought the worlds of Buddhism and psychotherapy into contact with each other, and changed thousands of lives. Drawing upon his own experience as therapist, meditator, and patient, Mark Epstein, a New York-based psychiatrist trained in classical F [...]
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Thoughts Without a Thinker is the landmark book that brought the worlds of Buddhism and psychotherapy into contact with each other, and changed thousands of lives. Drawing upon his own experience as therapist, meditator, and patient, Mark Epstein, a New York-based psychiatrist trained in classical Freudian methods, integrates Western psychotherapy and the teachings of Buddhism.In accessible, intimate language, this enlightening guide explains the unique psychological contributions of the teachings of Buddhism, describes the path of meditation in contemporary psychological language, and lays out the possibility of a meditation-inspired psychotherapy. Mark Epstein's new introduction reflects on the impact of the book and on the evolving relationship between psychotherapy and Buddhism. The purpose of life is to be happy, and one's own mental attitude is the most influential factor in working toward that goal. In order to change conditions outside ourselves, whether they concern the environment or relations with others, we must first change inside ourselves. Inner peace is the key, and Buddhism offers a path to that inner peace. Recently, psychotherapists have begun to explore the possibilities of employing Buddhist teachings in a therapeutic context. Drawing on his own experience as a patient, mediator, and therapist, Mark Epstein argues that the contemplative traditions of the East help patients go beyond merely recognizing their problems to healing them. Far from being at odds with the psychodynamic method, such an approach is in fact just what the doctor might order. As patients and therapists find themselves reaching for new solutions to their problems, the traditional distinctions between matters of the mind and matters of the spirit are increasingly being questioned. This program is a major contribution to the explosion of discussion about how Eastern spirituality can enhance Western psychology.