Contemplative Psychology: Supporting Our Clients' Variety of Diverse Contemplative Practices and Experiences

Dr Born and Dr. Rubright will present brief contemplative and reflective exercises, allowing participants to experience the various topics in the privacy of their own space.. Many clients find it meaningful to explore contemplative practices for self-knowledge, understanding, emotion regulation, and insight but would like to do so in a way that fits with their preferred worldview. Most modern contemplative sciences have focused research on practices originating from Buddhist or other Eastern psychologies (e.g., Jon Kabat Zinn and Richard Davidson’s pioneering research). Contemplative psychology, on the other hand, recognizes that contemplative practices are found in practically all faith or wisdom traditions around the globe, and although many have been proven effective for centuries, there remains a dearth of empirical research in such a direction. This workshop will present how contemplative psychology takes a broader, more practical thrust, subscribing to a certain generality or universality regarding the various and diverse contemplative traditions. We will utilize a common factors approach, a multicultural approach, and a whole person approach to understand how and why some people enter upon a contemplative path, and how clinicians might be able to effectively, and in an informed ethical manner, guide them on their chosen paths. While contemplative practices are usually considered positive, this may not be true for all, as certain practices have the potential to create harm in certain individuals. Willoughby Britton’s research on this potential risk will be highlighted.

Participants will be able to describe:

1. The common factors underlying contemplative practices across the various and diverse spiritualities and wisdom paths.
2. How to increase one’s capacity as a provider to better support and nurture client’s contemplative practices.
3. The potential risks of contemplative practices.
4. The potential obstacles of clinician bias for or against certain practices.
5. Other ethical considerations when including a contemplative path in psychotherapy.