Training Psychotherapists in Attributes of “Mind” from Zen and Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Part I: Core Principles, Emptiness, Impermanence, and Paradox

This paper outlines the principles of a conceptual foundation for an innovative approach to the training of the modern psychotherapist, using certain technical and philosophical precepts found in the practice of Zen, divorced from its usual role as a form of Buddhism and/or a religious belief. A set of core principles derived from Zen and embedded in psychoanalytic theory are listed. Specific values are embodied in the day to day practice of the psychotherapist. The first of these values is the understanding of the true nature of emptiness in relation to the self and the non-Cartesian universe. Then the concept of impermanence and the centrality of paradox to the practice of Zen and psychotherapy is described.

The basis of this approach to the education of the psychotherapist is grounded in the assumption that the usual training format with its focus on training in technical skills, with personal treatment being an additional requirement for many psychodynamic therapists, is insufficient for a complete educational experience. The training of the mind itself is an often forgotten and yet essential component of the training process.