ABSTRACT

These dialogues with child, adolescent and adult psychotherapists and child psychiatrists focus on their personal as well as professional experiences. All the contributors have a long-standing practice of Buddhism or other forms of meditation. The relevance of this to their clinical work with infants, children, adolescents, families and adults is described. Buddhist principles such as suffering, impermanence, non-attachment, no-self and the Four Noble Truths influence the contributors' practice of psychotherapy with children and with the child in the adult. Similarities and differences between the two traditions of Buddhism and psychotherapy are highlighted in these dialogues, which are embedded in deep, personal and transforming experiences that are shared by the authors.

chapter 1|8 pages

A baby is born

chapter 3|13 pages

The Buddha in the sky

chapter 4|9 pages

Serendipity in the magic garden

chapter 5|13 pages

The presence of the therapist

chapter 6|10 pages

AThe moon allows the sun to shine on it

chapter 7|15 pages

Coming home

chapter 8|15 pages

The curative factor

chapter 9|11 pages

The facilitating silence

chapter 10|21 pages

Nothing fixed

chapter 11|13 pages

Walking with Buddha

chapter 12|11 pages

The smug Buddha

chapter 13|10 pages

What works for whom?

chapter 15|16 pages

Vagal superstars

chapter 16|10 pages

Jung and the Buddha

chapter 17|10 pages

A Burmese noodle soup with Buddha

chapter 18|31 pages

From the cushion to the couch

chapter 20|6 pages

Epilogue