Re:Meditation and psychotherapy are like mixing oil and water: they don't mix...

Replying to Jim Spira's comment that meditation does not negate the need for psychotherapy:

I wouldn't pretend to argue with Jim, but I'd like to offer an alternative viewpoint. I think that in some people with relatively mild psychological difficulties, meditation can provide enough assistance to alleviate the need for psychotherapy. In such a case, one might say that meditation provided the therapy. But I would put a big caution sign in front of this. There are, it seems to me, two major qualifications:

One is that the person must be naturally inclined toward, or trained in the use of, introspective analytical techniques.

The other is that the difficulties must not be so troubling that they cloud or block the person's ability to develop insight into his or her condition and then do something about it.

I think above all, for meditation to work as therapy an individual must be open, flexible, courageous, and emotionally strong. These are all traits of a healthy person, which is why I say that the psychological difficulties must be relatively minor.

I'm speaking from experience. Psychotherapy has helped me, primarily to identify my issues. Meditation (both on-cushion sitting practice and off-cushion mindfulness work) has been my primary tool for making inner change.

I've heard many stories of people who work with both therapy and meditation. In general, it seems that when applied together under the guidance of a competent counselor, they support each other. And I'd agree with Dr. Spira (going a little farther than he did) that one does not negate the need for the other.

With metta,

Dave Birren

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