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  • Psychotherapy Without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective

  • By: Mark Epstein MD
  • Narrated by: Dean Sluyter
  • Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (14 ratings)

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Psychotherapy Without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective

By: Mark Epstein MD
Narrated by: Dean Sluyter
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Summary

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 25 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 central concepts such as egolessness and emptiness in the psychoanalytic language of our time.

The book is published by Yale University Press.

©2007 Mark Epstein (P)2012 Redwood Audiobooks
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Critic reviews

"Required reading for anyone interested in understanding concepts like narcissism, integration, unintegration, and liberation. . . . Highly recommended." ( Choice)
"One of the most rewarding books I have read in some time." ( The Bloomsbury Review)
" Psychotherapy without the Self has the odd effect of lightness: Burdens long carried seem to drop away as you read." ( Los Angeles Times)

What listeners say about Psychotherapy Without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective

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    4 out of 5 stars

Full focus needed

This is a complex theoretical book suitable for a listener with some knowledge of psychoanalytic thought and history and a basic understanding of Buddhist philosophy already. I do have some prior knowledge and I found the ideas sometimes quite hard to grasp especially in the audible format and had to repeat large sections although the reading was clear and measured without being grating or boring.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting 🤓

Beautiful and insightful, but there is no attempt to make it accessible to anyone who isn't familiar with psychotherapy and Buddhism already.

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If I had a doctorate and an IQ over 150 it would be great

It’s a real shame the author hasn’t given one slight consideration to the average person who would be interested in learning about the subject.
I have given up re listening to parts of it because he uses terminology and unnecessary complex language which for most would be difficult to keep up with the fundamental point being made.
Ironically a major concept is around the ego…..
Well maybe if he left himself at the writing door and considering it from his customer’s perspective it would make more sense.

It’s a shame.

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