Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy: Deepening Mindfulness in Clinical Practice

Christopher K. Germer, Ronald D. Siegel

Guilford Press, Mar 7, 2012 - Psychology - 407 pages

Bringing together leading scholars, scientists, and clinicians, this compelling volume explores how therapists can cultivate wisdom and compassion in themselves and their clients. Chapters describe how combining insights from ancient contemplative practices and modern research can enhance the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, suicidal behavior, couple conflict, and parenting stress. Seamlessly edited, the book features numerous practical exercises and rich clinical examples. It examines whether wisdom and compassion can be measured objectively, what they look like in the therapy relationship, their role in therapeutic change, and how to integrate them into treatment planning and goal setting. The book includes a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• Part IWhat Are Wisdom and Compassion? Why Should We Care?: 5
• Two Wings of a Bird: 7
• A Foundation for Compassion and Wisdom: 35
• Chapter 3Building Lives of Compassion and Wisdom: 48
• Part IIThe Meaning of Compassion: 59
• Chapter 4Compassion in Buddhist Psychology: 61
• Chapter 5The Compassionate Therapist: 75
• Chapter 6The Science of SelfCompassion: 79
• Chapter 7Cultivating Compassion in Psychotherapy: 93
• Chapter 8The Neurobiology of Compassion: 111
• Part IIIThe Meaning of Wisdom: 119
• Chapter 9Wisdom in Buddhist Psychology: 121
• Chapter 10The Wise Psychotherapist: 138
• Implications for Psychotherapy: 154
• Chapter 12The Wisdom of Connection: 163
• Chapter 13Self and NoSelf in Psychotherapy: 176
• Chapter 14Neurobiological Foundations of Wisdom: 189
• Part IVClinical Applications: 203
• Chapter 15Compassion Wisdom and Suicidal Clients: 205
• Chapter 16Substance Abuse and Relapse Prevention: 221
• Acceptance Compassion and Wisdom: 234
• Suffering in the Flow of Life: 249
• Mindfulness and Compassion: 265
• Chapter 20The Heart of Couple Therapy: 280
• Part VIn and Around the Consultation Room: 293
• Chapter 21Mindful Parenting as a Pathto Wisdom and Compassion: 295
• Chapter 22Drawing on the Wisdom of Religious Traditions in Psychotherapy: 311
• Growing through Ethics: 321
• References: 335
• Author Index: 379
• Subject Index: 393

About the author

Christopher K. Germer, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice, specializing in mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion-based treatment. He has been integrating the principles and practices of meditation into psychotherapy since 1978. Dr. Germer is Clinical Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School and a founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He lectures internationally on mindfulness and self-compassion, is coeditor (with Ronald D. Siegel and Paul R. Fulton) of the professional book Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and is author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions. Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught since 1984. He is a long-time student of mindfulness meditation and serves on the board of directors and faculty of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. Dr. Siegel teaches internationally about mindfulness and psychotherapy and mind-body treatment, while maintaining a private clinical practice in Lincoln, Massachusetts. He is author of The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems and coeditor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy: Deepening Mindfulness in Clinical Practice
• Editors: Christopher K. Germer, Ronald D. Siegel
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Guilford Press, 2012
• ISBN: 1462503764, 9781462503766
• Length: 407 pages
• Subjects: Medical / Psychiatry / General; Psychology / Clinical Psychology; Psychology / Psychotherapy / General; Religion / Counseling; Social Science / Social Work