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Sitting and Practice: An interpretive description of the Buddhist-informed meditation practices of counselling psychologists and their clinical work

Sitting and Practice: An interpretive description of the Buddhist-informed meditation practices of counselling psychologists and their clinical work
Short Title: Sitting and Practice
Format: Thesis
Publication Year: 2010
Place of Publication: Canada
Pages: 145
Library/Archive: Copyright ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing 2010
Sources ID: 22408
Visibility: Private
Abstract: (Show)

Counselling psychology is increasingly curious regarding the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. This research explores the relationship between the clinical work of psychotherapists and their long-term Buddhist-informed meditation. This is an emerging and cross-cultural field. Thorne's (2008) interpretive description guided this exploratory qualitative study of the experiences of four registered psychologists. This study finds that meditation supports an unconditional, compassionate therapeutic stance that serves therapy through the development of the therapeutic relationship. Further, Buddhist-informed meditation appears to promote integrative functioning in the therapists and is related to integrated clinical decision-making. This study dips into areas of transpersonal and Buddhist psychology that require further culturally-sensitive investigation. Future directions for research are presented.

Subjects: 
Psychiatry and Contemplation
Health Care and Contemplation
Buddhist Contemplation by Applied Subject
Psychotherapy and Contemplation
Buddhist Contemplation
Science and Buddhist Contemplation
Contemplation by Applied Subject
Contemplation by Tradition