Paul Bialek talked to Lon Woodbury and Co-Host Liz McGhee on L.A. Talk Radio on the theme of how Buddhism meets western psychotherapy. He explained that Contemplative Psychotherapy was the formal name for this integration between Buddhist philosophy and western psychotherapy.
Lon Woodbury is an Independent Educational consultant and he is the radio show host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teenagers. His co-host Elizabeth McGhee works at Sandhill Child Development Centers as the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations.
Paul Bialek
Paul Bialek heads the Contemplative Therapy program at Naropa College in Boulder, Colorado. He also works as a psychotherapist in that city. He has been practicing mind-calming exercises for thirty-five years. He holds a Masters Degree in Intellectual History from Johns Hopkins University. He also holds a Masters Degree in Contemplative Therapy from Naropa College. His work consists of incorporating the wisdom of the contemplative practice of Buddhism into the technique of western psychotherapy.
What Happens When Buddhism Meets Western Psychotherapy
According to Bialek, when Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, they share the a common objective: they both seek to ease all personal suffering. Consequently, many psychotherapists have discovered it beneficial to incorporate Buddhist concepts like mindfulness into their existing psychological techniques.
Mindfulness has become widely adopted by many therapists throughout the country. It consists of paying attention to the given moment, with an emphasis on suspending judgment. Since, it is non-judgmental, there is no thought about approval or disapproval, but rather learning to be with the experience. Mindfulness, then, is about allowing thoughts to come and go. This contemplative technique promotes clear thinking and reasonable behavior.
Contemplative specialists, Bialek pointed out, did not educate clients in mindfulness meditation, but put the fine art of mindfulness into practice by hearing their clients describe their life difficulties. The specialist's mindfulness clearly allowed clients to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of ridicule.
Sharing examples of his use of contemplative psychotherapy in practice, he explained the process of paying attention with a friendly attitude to just what was going on with a variety of various clients. The therapy helped clients familiarize themselves with their very own thought-patterns and begin observing their very own life experiences with detachment.
Bialek made patients more aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when treating them for teen drug abuse, and his treatments might even include teaching mindfulness and self-monitoring skills to clients and their family. Contemplative psychotherapy helped individuals observe when they were getting addictive cravings rather than automatically surrendering to them.
On the topic of anger management in adolescents, he talked about how mindfulness was a useful tool in helping struggling teens use their anger in a constructive way. In contemplative psychotherapy, there is no attempt to get rid of an emotion, but to work with it, thus raising emotional intelligence over time. He also talked about how clients may actually have wisdom about their situation but just not the skills to deal with their emotions.
In essence, then, when Buddhism meets western therapy, the contemplative specialist works at restoring a sense of "great peace of mind"-- an open, clear, and warm quality of thought.
Lon Woodbury is an Independent Educational consultant and he is the radio show host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teenagers. His co-host Elizabeth McGhee works at Sandhill Child Development Centers as the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations.
Paul Bialek
Paul Bialek heads the Contemplative Therapy program at Naropa College in Boulder, Colorado. He also works as a psychotherapist in that city. He has been practicing mind-calming exercises for thirty-five years. He holds a Masters Degree in Intellectual History from Johns Hopkins University. He also holds a Masters Degree in Contemplative Therapy from Naropa College. His work consists of incorporating the wisdom of the contemplative practice of Buddhism into the technique of western psychotherapy.
What Happens When Buddhism Meets Western Psychotherapy
According to Bialek, when Buddhism meets western psychotherapy, they share the a common objective: they both seek to ease all personal suffering. Consequently, many psychotherapists have discovered it beneficial to incorporate Buddhist concepts like mindfulness into their existing psychological techniques.
Mindfulness has become widely adopted by many therapists throughout the country. It consists of paying attention to the given moment, with an emphasis on suspending judgment. Since, it is non-judgmental, there is no thought about approval or disapproval, but rather learning to be with the experience. Mindfulness, then, is about allowing thoughts to come and go. This contemplative technique promotes clear thinking and reasonable behavior.
Contemplative specialists, Bialek pointed out, did not educate clients in mindfulness meditation, but put the fine art of mindfulness into practice by hearing their clients describe their life difficulties. The specialist's mindfulness clearly allowed clients to share their thoughts and feelings without fear of ridicule.
Sharing examples of his use of contemplative psychotherapy in practice, he explained the process of paying attention with a friendly attitude to just what was going on with a variety of various clients. The therapy helped clients familiarize themselves with their very own thought-patterns and begin observing their very own life experiences with detachment.
Bialek made patients more aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors when treating them for teen drug abuse, and his treatments might even include teaching mindfulness and self-monitoring skills to clients and their family. Contemplative psychotherapy helped individuals observe when they were getting addictive cravings rather than automatically surrendering to them.
On the topic of anger management in adolescents, he talked about how mindfulness was a useful tool in helping struggling teens use their anger in a constructive way. In contemplative psychotherapy, there is no attempt to get rid of an emotion, but to work with it, thus raising emotional intelligence over time. He also talked about how clients may actually have wisdom about their situation but just not the skills to deal with their emotions.
In essence, then, when Buddhism meets western therapy, the contemplative specialist works at restoring a sense of "great peace of mind"-- an open, clear, and warm quality of thought.
About the Author:
Learn more about Lon Woodbury on Struggling Teens. He has recorded the entire interview on his weekly L.A. Talk Radio show for people to listen to at any time.
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