Zen and Psychotherapy

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an unprecedented influence of Buddhism in Western psychology and psychotherapy. Expressions such as 'mindfulness,' 'meditation,' and 'Zen' have become buzzwords across the academic and the popular culture alike. This has been accompanied by the increased popularity of various mindfulness- informed therapeutic modalities, including acceptance and commitment therapy. To ground our discussion, we will first provide a brief historical sketch about the origin of the synergy between Zen and psychotherapy. We will then examine a few key underlying concepts that 'The equivalence of 'Zen' in Chinese Buddhism is 'Chan,' or 'Chan' and 'Zen' are not identical due to the influence of indigenous culture, Taoism (China) and Shintoism (Japan), respectively. bind and distinguish the two traditions, followed by specific examples of how Zen and certain therapeutic orientations intersect, and a brief case discussion. With this foundation, we will critically reflect on the current trends and applications of Zen in psychotherapy. We will share our observations about potential problems that could hinder the full potential of their cross-fertilization toward emancipation and transformation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)