Psychotherapy Without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective

This is a wonderful book by a practicing psychiatrist, perfect for this point in my life. Based on a deep knowledge of both Buddhism and psychotherapy, Epstein resolves for me the perplexing apparent contradiction between Buddhism's "no-self" and psychotherapy's focus on the Self and its difficulties. Subtle, personally engaging and well-written, it is full of wisdom based on Epstein's broad study,reflection, and his own life experience. Because it is a collection of articles and essays written over many years, there is some repetition, but it never hurts to hear these insights more than once.

I highly recommend this book for those who question the borderland between spirituality and psychotherapy. As a growth oriented psychotherapist, I have an ongoing curiosity about what defines psychotherapy as different from spiritual growth and realization. This book provides some key understandings of the correlations between buddhist practices and how they can be understood from a psychoanalytical perspective. Both camps benefit from this kind of intelligent communication between the two disciplines. I especially appreciated how concentration meditation can mislead a person into thinking they have "arrived" as they access a symbiotic experience, and not realize the further development of consciousness through the separation/individuation process, which unfolds out of this initial merged experience.

This is an invaluable book for all therapists. Epstein does a masterful job of connecting analytic thought with Buddhist teachings. He apparently speaks from experience when he discusses the difficulties we all encounter along our paths. Then he goes a step further and shows how these insights can help direct the therapeutic encounter. This is a genuine, sincere, honest expression from the heart. I am very grateful.