Zen and Psychotherapy: Integrating Traditional and Non-traditional Approaches

With over 80 years of combined experience in the mental health field, Mruk and Hartzell explore the role of spirituality and religion in treatment and provide a sound clinical and academic rationale for integrating principles of Zen and traditional psychotherapy. They offer help to clinicians, supervisors, and educators in understanding specific Zen principles that can hold significant therapeutic value, and how they are compatible with traditional, empirically oriented, scientifically based education and training, regardless of one’s particular academic or disciplinary orientation.

The authors, one a clinical educator and social scientist, the other a nurse psychotherapist and practicing Buddhist, present a fascinating dialogue on the science and the art sides of the art-science debate. This allows their different points of view to come together in both academic and personal communication, offering practical suggestions for achieving a balance between these two views on the helping and healing process.