Psychotherapy without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective

by Mark Epstein

Insights on the interface between Buddhist teachings and Western psychotherapy by the best-selling author of Thoughts without a Thinker

Immersed in Buddhist psychology prior to studying Western psychiatry, Dr. Mark Epstein first viewed Western therapeutic approaches through the lens of the East. This posed something of a challenge. Although both systems promise liberation through self-awareness, the central tenet of Buddha's wisdom is the notion of no-self, while the central focus of Western psychotherapy is the self. This book, which includes writings from the past twenty-five years, wrestles with the complex relationship between Buddhism and psychotherapy and offers nuanced reflections on therapy, meditation, and psychological and spiritual development. A best-selling author and popular speaker, Epstein has long been at the forefront of the effort to introduce Buddhist psychology to the West.  His unique background enables him to serve as a bridge between the two traditions, which he has found to be more compatible than at first thought.  Engaging with the teachings of the Buddha as well as those of Freud and Winnicott, he offers a compelling look at desire, anger, and insight and helps reinterpret the Buddha's Four Noble Truths and centralconcepts such as egolessness and emptiness in the psychoanalytic language of our time.

Genres: Psychology, Buddhism, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Philosophy, Audiobook, Religion

261 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2007

About the author

Mark Epstein, M.D. is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City and the author of a number of books about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University and is currently Clinical Assistant Professor in the Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis at New York University.

Reviews

[Frank Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm biased. I think this guy is one of the best writers about psychology, and the psychology of Buddhism around. I LOVE his four books, though his first Thoughts Without A Thinker and his most recent Open To Desire are his best, and this collection of articles is simply a delight to read and savor!

At the mundane level, to read these essays is to plot Epstein's course over the years, from his earliest, more academic, deeply refereneced articles from the 80s, published in such journals as The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, The International Rreview of Psycho-Analysis, and The Internatinal Journal of Psychoanalysis, through his articles for Buddhist journals such as Tricycle and Buddhadharma and various essays and lectures for specific events and venues up to 2006.

Because of the nature of this book being a collection of varied writings on the subject, there is repetition of certain themes, but this actually aids in assimilation, as each time he adds another facet or comes at it slightly differently. Epstein does not shy away from addressing uncomfortable topics from either the psychoanalytic or from the Buddhist side of things, while showing how an informed integration can be a great aid to either and both processes. His concluding essay on art is brilliant, and offers a wealth of insight for further development.

Finally, even in his most scholarly essays, Epstein writes masterfully, and poetically. In the more popular-oriented writings, this comes to the fore. One inspiring passage, the final paragraph from his essay "Meditation as Art, Art as Meditation," concludes the book beginning with a quote from British analyst Adam Philips:

"'To improve society spend / more time with people you haven't / met,' John Cage advises. You can't help but do this, Freud says, because the person one hasn't met is also oneself. (Phillips, 1996, p. 15)"

"The person one hasn't met is also always oneself. Suzuki was a messenger from another time and place who reminded a generation of this basic truth. The people who heard him most easily were artists. The art that they made, and the artists they in turn have inspired, continues to carry his message, asking us to question ourselves instead of settling into complacency, to open ourselves instead of closing down around what we already know, and to embarrass ourselves instead of worrying what other people think. Artists, like psychoanalysts and Zen teachers are people who can fail and fail and go on."

As Dogen once said about his practice: "It's one continuous mistake."

[Steve Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epstein's work has not only been instrumental in forming my own ideas about the self, the psyche, and it's machinations evolutions and adaptions to a person's experience of the world it has also been instrumental in promoting my own exploration of Buddhist practice and healing around some savagely traumatic experiences in childhood and youth, including abuse and active combat in two wars. He was a pioneer in his direction to shed light on the ways in which western psychoanalytic practice and Buddhist practice could both inform and complement each other. His earlier works I found were key to the formation of my own conceptualisation of personal experience. This book is a collection of papers to which I had no access until now and read in conjunction with his earlier volumes they shed much light.

Epstein is to my mind, a great agent for a change in direction away from the more narrow western interpretations of psycho dynamics to encompass what eastern thought has to offer. He is not the first to do so but he has been the catalyst to my own alignment in this way and frankly that has saved my life when standard western approaches gave me little but frustration and dead ends that almost destroyed me.

His work should be prescribed reading for anyone working in the mental health field.

[Kevin Orth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike a couple other of Dr. Epstein's books I've read, this is very much geared toward the psychiatrist/psychotherapist audience rather than the general public. It is as wonderful as his other work but if you are looking for a lay person's read, you are not going to find it here.

[Howard Mansfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine collection of essays that Epstein published in professional journals. Worth reading after you've read Thoughts without a Thinker, The Trauma of Everyday Life, or Going to Pieces.

[Bohdan Pechenyak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whirlwind tour through the intersections of Buddhist psychology and practice with psychoanalysis (and psychotherapy more broadly) and art. Dr. Epstein, who started studying Buddhism and practicing meditation in his early 20s, and later became a psychotherapist, collected his essays ranging from 1986 to 2006, organizing them in three parts: Buddha, Freud, and Winnicott. The entire collection debunks myths on both sides of the Meditation-Therapy divide, explaining how Buddhist concepts and practices correspond with those of Western psychotherapy, how the two practices are complementary in some ways and mutually exclusive in others, depending on specific circumstances. Freud’s and Winnicott’s insights into how the psyche works are shown to correspond quite well with certain Buddhist notions and principles. Evenly suspended attention proposed by Freud as the appropriate state of mind for an analyst to adopt in listening to the patients’ free associations, corresponds to the state of mindfulness practiced in Buddhist meditation: observing all that goes on in the mind without judgment or selectivity. The famous “oceanic feeling” corresponds to the state of absorption resulting from the practices of concentration - something to ultimately transcend, rather than cling to. This oceanic feeling relates to primary narcissism and the notions of the ideal ego and ego ideal. And Winnicott’s work on unintegration and nonintention as it relates to creativity and play in children’s lives and later in adult psyche, corresponds to egolessness or “emptiness” of Buddhism. A fascinating volume that clarifies much and advances the dialogue between the East and the West.

[EMargaritis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our existence is a complex puzzle of unconsciousness’ paths, temptations and instincts while mother-child relationship plays a pivotal role on the ego formation. The infantile oceanic feeling and stillness can be somehow be compared to flow, stillness and oneness to the universe. However Epstein suggests that dead-ends may be part of the journey, where Eastern practices can show a spiritual and mindful way out.
 
The Buddhist approach with mediation, emptiness, non-self and egolessness being the main attributes, is filling the gaps that mainstream psychoanalysis cannot. While meditating, human soul can work from within, open and feel empty while staying in the present moment. The mind is one of the most powerful human organs and must be learnt how to remain fixed as part of a mental gymnastics routine. Concentration and insight meditation can help us become nobody, non-self, not mine. But before becoming nobody we need to be somebody and psychotherapy works well on that.
 
Meditation and hypnosis, narcissistic dualism and non-self, oceanic feeling and emptiness, flow and free association are all pairs of terms with many resemblances, but originating from different psychological principles. Epstein uses these terms throughout the book, trying to show to the readers how close both approaches are, both under the service of the main purpose.
 
Success is to break into pieces without falling apart. We open ourselves, embrace ourselves, and question ourselves. Happiness is after all our natural mental state.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of articles offers more insights than his more recent publication, The Trauma of Everyday Life, which I found weaker because of the repeated, mostly uninteresting personal experiences. At the end of the day, the author deals with only a handful of key notions that are paraphrased throughout the book. Which is OK if you're unfamiliar with the topic, since misunderstanding Buddhist concepts can be counterproductive. Epstein does a good job identifying the pitfalls that one might encounter when one begins practicing meditation.

[Sergiu Telbisz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but i find the author`s writing quality somewhat weak. Also there are many concepts that are not that good explained. You need some basic buddishm knowledge and medium to good psychoanalysis. Overall a good book but not an easy read.

[Mark Mazelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read several books by Epstein and as in his other writings, he is profound and accessible. While written with the specialist in mind, there is plenty for the lay reader to learn about Epstein, Freud, Winnicott and how their practices relate to Buddhist principles.

[Teo]

2017.01.10–2017.01.10

Epstein M (2007) (07:27) Psychotherapy Without the Self - A Buddhist Perspective

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of Dr. Epstein's published articles on Buddhism, meditation, and psychoanalysis. These articles were in scholarly publications, and they read as research papers with many references.

[Gregp · Rating 4 out of 5]

7 out of 10

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not narrated by the author the way many of his other works were, and this partucular narrator was rather dull

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not easy to follow but a nevertheless compelling account from a physician psychiatrist on the incorporation of Buddhist philosophy into psychotherapy. For those interested in east meeeting west, it's worth a peek.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could easily have given this five stars as it truly is that well-written. But even for one such as myself, with a background in both psychology and Buddhism, and a long-term meditator, much of the material was difficult to wrap my mind around.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final third uses Winnicott's thought. Quite captivating. Led to next....

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is fairly academic and will take a while to get thru.


It was and it did. Finally.

[Jodell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, if you are not up on all this or an expert its not the book for you. I didn't understand a lot of it.