Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
November 2009
By Glenda Ruder currently working to obtain her master's degree in Clinical Social Work at
Highland's University in Albuquerque, NM. This paper was written in response to a Diversity
Practice Approach assignment in a course entitled Advanced Multicultural Practice.
I have chosen to look at the theoretic approach of Buddhism; which is considered not
only a religion but a philosophical approach as well. Throughout the paper I will be exploring
how the Buddhist approach views mental illness particularly with the population of people
centuries ago in nowadays Nepal and northeastern India (O’Brien, 2009). Siddhartha Gautama
was born a prince and was married at the age of 16. At this time he began to grow restless of the
palace life and soon traveled outside of the palace walls. Every trip outside palace walls he
recognized human suffering; such as: sickness, old age and death (A View on Buddhism, 2009).
On his fourth trip, he saw a wandering monk who had given up everything he owned to seek an
end to suffering. "I shall be like him." Siddhartha thought (Instilling Goodness School). From
here Siddhartha studied with many different teachers. He mastered the art of meditation (the art
of no-thingness), and meditative absorption (focusing on“the state of neither perception nor non-
perception”) (A View on Buddhism, 2009). After mastering these two techniques he still did not
feel that he was any closer to finding an end to suffering. Continuing on; Siddhartha came to a
place called Bodhgaya in Northern India; while sitting under a Bodhi-tree he decided not to get
up until he discovered the truth. A short time later, he became a fully enlightened Buddha (A
View on Buddhism, 2009). Siddhartha Gautama came to be known as “the Buddha” meaning
the “awakened one” after experiencing a profound realization of the nature of life, death and
existence (O’Brien, 2009). After this realization Buddha began sharing his teachings. The
Buddha once summarized his entire teachings in one sentence: “I teach about suffering and the
way to end it” (A View on Buddhism, 2009). His teachings were called the dharma, which he
During his enlightenment; Buddha came to three truths in which his teachings were based
off of. The first truth is that nothing is lost in the universe. This is a theory of all things being
inter- connected; everything has purpose. A dead leaf turns into soil (Instilling Goodness
School). The second universal truth of the Buddha is that everything is continuously changing.
Life is like a river flowing on and on, ever-changing. It is smooth and gentle in some places, but
later on snags and rocks crop up out of nowhere (Instilling Goodness School). Unexpected
things continually happen and you cannot predict what will happen in life. The third universal
truth explained by the Buddha is that there are continuous changes due to the law of cause and
effect. This is the same law of cause and effect found in every modern science textbook
(Instilling Goodness School). The idea of Karma is derived from this universal truth. Energy
and things that you put into the universe are the origins for what comes to you in life.
The Buddhist perspective perceives the mentally ill as those who become disconnected to
their environment and the world around them. In order to heal mentally ill through the Buddhist
perspective the issue needs to be looked at as a societal issue rather than an individual one.
Emotional suffering and mental distress may be a universal experience, but the ways they
manifest are unique from place to place (Duerr, 2009). A socially engaged Buddhist perspective
will lead us to inquire about our obligation to treat not only the person but also the environment
that has contributed to the conditions that create suffering (Duerr, 2009). Healing mentally ill
within the Buddhist perspective focuses on attention to the mind, body, and environment as
opposed to medicinal based interventions. Thich Nhat Hanh writes in The Path of Compassion
(1995):
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as severe recurrent emotional anxiety
reactions that originate from an intense and traumatic experience. A trauma occurs when there is
a combination of sensory and emotional overload that cannot be processed and integrated into
the psyche. A war scenario provides many intense visual, auditory and contextual stimuli that are
completely foreign to the average person, as does sexual abuse, rape or witnessing a car accident
(Strong, 2009). PTSD is a significant health risk for many that are afflicted by it in the United
States. Because the symptoms of anxiety and PTSD are a result of internal thoughts that bring
about physiological change, it is important to seek out the type of therapy that will foster an
improvement in health. Using Buddhist-styled therapy, one, can learn to approach and embrace
the challenges in life and manage the thoughts while understanding that challenges and suffering
are normal and that life’s circumstances will only improve (Cadena, 2008).
Buddhist- centered therapy focuses to provide a comprehensive approach to mental
healthcare (Cadena, 2008). In the Buddhist religion members are encouraged to seek
encouragement from a Buddhist monk. In order to correlate this method into a therapeutic
approach; those effected by PTSD are asked to seek guidance and advice from their therapist
when they are feeling anxious. Through initiating communication with a guidance counselor,
the feelings of anxiety are often alleviated. The focus of the Buddhist-styled therapy is to not
only encourage through the principles of Buddhism but to encourage initiation of care by self-
understand the world around you using the universal truths of Buddhism. The components of
this are: the understanding that nothing is lost in the universe, life in constantly changing, and
the belief of cause and effect. The understanding of how these truths relate to suffering will
allow them to understand how the environment is ever evolving. This can help provide hope and
encouragement (Cadena, 2008). The understanding of Buddhist theory can facilitate growth and
(Strong, 2009). This is another form of a Buddhist approach; however, rather than focusing on
during situations even through times when traumatic images are triggered. Presence is one of the
most important components of sensitive listening as when we are listening to a friend who is
suffering. In this same way, learning to be fully present for our emotional suffering is highly
therapeutic and is perhaps one of the major contributions to the healing process (Strong, 2009).
Another aspect of this is focusing on our emotional suffering that prevents us from being fully
present at a given time. Meditation is a tool used to bring mindfulness and awareness to the
separate the flashback of images they experience with the emotions or anxiety that they feel
during these experiences. This allows the person to slowly break down these experiences which
enables them to slowly digest this information which will allow them to work through these
emotions. Someone afflicted by PTSD are flooded with traumatic memories. These memories
may be photographic or may include abstract elements of color, shape and movement in
something resembling a surrealistic collage. The emotional reactions that are formed from these
The Structural Theory of Emotions relates to this approach with the belief that if the
structure of the flashing images can be changed you may be able to heal the emotional reactions
to the images. However, for this to work effectively the imagery must arise experientially from
the emotional felt sense, rather than be created through deliberate visualization (Strong, 2009).
In order for this to be possible one must work through these images and emotions connected to
them on their own through their own inner experience. This healing cannot come from external
sources. There is no attempt to interpret what arises, only to experience fully and know
completely whatever arises (Strong, 2009). This process strives to break down the emotional
aspects of the experiences so eventually they will be able to work through their traumatic
experiences; rather than taking it in all at once and becoming overwhelmed by it.
Mindfulness Based Relationship. This happens when one presents non-reactivity and allows the
imagery into their present awareness rather than disassociation. There are different techniques
in order to come to this result. One technique includes watching the imagery as if projected on a
screen is one technique (Strong, 2009). Once a client begins to experience a state of a
Mindfulness Based Relationship they will be able to recognize the specific content of the various
images they may be visually experiencing. This will bring about the prevention of disassociation
Mindfulness Meditation Theory helps the client work through the effects of their traumatic
experience by exposing them to their fear. They do this in repeatedly and various ways in order
to prevent the client from being over whelmed. This exposure desensitization effect is regarded
Meditation Therapy provides a very subtle and effective way of doing this (Strong, 2009).
The Buddhist theory approach would require the client to be open minded and willing to
look inside themselves to work through the trauma that they have experienced. If a client would
have to be self-motivated for this approach if they were not the clinician would not be able to
engage them. The clinician would give them the tools they would need throughout the process;
A clinician would assess the clients’ progress when they had mastered each step. In the
first approach I discussed the client would be ready to move on when they had recognized and
understood the three universal truths in Buddhism. When they were able to recognize that they
weren’t necessarily victims, according to this theory, however things that happen in life are not
on a personal level rather on a universal one. With Mindfulness Meditation Theory the client
would be able to move on when they possess the ability to sit with the recurrent images and are
present with them. Goal setting within both approaches would be working towards the next steps
in the theory; to master each one. You would end services with the client after they were able to
process the trauma that they experienced and they no longer had anxiety or emotional reaction to
it. You would evaluate this through observation and subjective recollections of how the client
I think that in order to use this approach in practice you would really have to believe in
the theory behind it. Before using this approach you would have to identify what your own
beliefs are regarding it. Many clinicians use pieces of different theories in practice; however, I
think that this is a theory you would have to use fully in order to see results.
The main basis of this theory is for each individual to be self-motivated. In order to help
someone with PTSD process their trauma you would have to remain objective. In every theory
this is important, however, because this theory is so focused on the idea that ‘things happen for a
reason’ it is really important to be aware of counter transference and your own past experiences
not effecting the work that you are doing with these clients. Mostly focusing the energy on their
experiences, understanding of the 3 Buddhist truths and how they fit together in order for them to
be able to work through their experience; and find greater meaning for these experiences in order
to move past them. You would need to keep the client focused and facilitate their understanding
Bibliography
Cadena, Christine. (August 27, 2008). Returning War Veterans Benefit from Buddhism- Styled
Therapy. Associated Content: Health and Wellness. Retrieved on October 31, 2009.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/988142/returning
_war_veterans_benefit_from.html?cat=72
Duerr, Maria. (May 19 2009). Impossible Choices- Buddhism and Mental Illness. Medical
Ethics. Retrieved on October 31, 2009. http://www.scribd.com/doc/15621451/
Impossible-ChoicesBuddhism-and_mental-Illness
Strong, Peter. (August 26, 2009). Mindfulness Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) in Boulder, Colorado. Retrieved on October 31, 2009.
http://articlebase.com/stress-management-articles/mindfulness-psychotherapy-for-
posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-in-boulder-colorado-1161636.html
Other Websites:
http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/buddha.html
Instilling Goodness School. Following the Buddha’s Footsteps. Retreived on October 31, 2009.
http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/Footsteps.htm