Early Buddhist Teachings: A Foundation for Counseling

Mindfulness and meditation, practices that are rooted in Buddhism, have become mainstream treatments in counseling and psychotherapy that provide evidence of successful outcomes among secular clients. However, for clients from non-Western backgrounds, dissociating mindfulness practice from the core Buddhist teachings can dilute the transformative power of these practices, causing cultural confusion and lowering the effectiveness of treatment. This book is the first to present Early Buddhist Teachings as a theoretical orientation for the millions of individuals affiliated with Buddhism to create a culturally congruent counseling model. Using original sources in Pali, it explores key Buddhist concepts such as dependent co-arising, non-self, impermanence, and many others. The authors then compare them with Western psychological concepts, furthering ongoing dialogue between Buddhism and psychotherapy and fostering powerful integrations. This volume also demonstrates how to use the Buddhist counseling model through practical assessment scales, sample dialogues, and detailed descriptions of interventions designed for mental health professionals. It is a valuable resource for mental health professionals, scholars, and psychology students seeking to explore the intersection of Buddhism and counseling psychology.