One of the sources that I draw on in doing psychotherapy work with patients is my twelve years of background in Zen Buddhist study and practice, which includes the daily practice of meditation. Although I make no effort to teach Buddhism to patients (which would not be appropriate anyway), I do find that I am able to apply the insights and perspectives that Buddhist teachings offer to better understand the suffering of my patients and to find more skillful ways to work with it. Much of what I've learned in all this was outlined in a teaching lecture I gave in February, 2000, at UC Davis Medical Center, entitled Buddhism and Psychotherapy. In brief, Buddhist practice emphasizes concern with suffering, inquiring deeply into the truth of things, and learning to understand how illusions and distortions of reality keep us from being peaceful in our lives. A new book exploring the connections between Buddhist thought and the work of the psychotherapist is currently in progress and two seminars dealing with this exciting area were offered in January of 2001.
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