Mindfulness, Acceptance, and the Psychodynamic Evolution

“While the world of psychotherapy has historically been divided into separate spheres of isolated schools, modalities, and orientations, we increasingly witness dialogue, borrowing, recognition of commonality, and even efforts toward integration. Jason Stewart has gathered a first-rate lineup of contributors who are known for their serious scholarship on, and leadership in, psychotherapy integration from a broadly relational psychodynamic perspective. The book will advance this important academic and professional trend.”
—Lewis Aron, PhD, director at the New York University postdoctoral program in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis and author of A Meeting of Minds: Mutuality in Psychoanalysis

“In this creative and scholarly volume, Stewart brings the integration of mindfulness, acceptance, and relational psychodynamic therapy to a new level. [The contributors’] combined vision is balanced, flexible, and mature. Clinicians new to either psychoanalytic inquiry or mindfulness will quickly find themselves drawn into this exciting conversation through compelling case studies, historical background material, and practical discussion about clinical decision-making. Lynchpin issues, such as non-duality, compassion, mentalization, and the pursuit of a valued life, receive special attention. This book will invite readers to grow their work for years to come.”
—Christopher Germer, PhD, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, coeditor of Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion

"Acceptance and mindfulness have always been integral to therapeutic change, but their roles and applications have only been recently recognized. Editor Jason Stewart’s new book offers a penetrating and insightful look at the natural overlap and differences between newly emerged mindfulness-based therapies and psychodynamic work. This exploration reveals a rich potential for clinicians who want to support and strengthen their psychodynamic work through the integration of mindfulness-based approaches.”
—Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge

"Psychoanalysis, mindfulness-based psychotherapies, and traditional Buddhist meditation practices have evolved from existing in non-communicating, conceptually dissociated spheres through a stage of over-eager merger and identification, in which each was reduced to a variation of ‘evenly hovering attention’ in the service of a presumed common goal of engaging the totality of the mind. At last, we are moving into a more sophisticated and challenging stage where genuine differences and conflicts are allowed to emerge and be meaningfully engaged. This volume is a welcome addition to that process of genuine engagement and mutual influence.”
—Barry Magid, MD, faculty at The Stephen Mitchell Center for Relational Studies and author of Nothing Is Hidden: The Psychology of Zen Koans and Ordinary Mind: Exploring the Common Ground of Zen and Psychoanalysis

“As the evidence in support of Freud's, Bowlby's, and Winnicott's (among many others') works accumulates through mindfulness research, the neuroscience of psychotherapy, and interpersonal neurobiology, Jason Stewart's book comes along as a practical and engrossing guide to an ongoing synthesis of ancient and modern wisdom aimed at addressing human suffering. He has assembled an impressive group of authors who remind us that when we are doing psychoanalysis, engaging clients in the process of systematic desensitization, or teaching mindfulness meditation, we are all involved in deeply interpersonal encounters with the intention of helping people ‘pay attention’ and, eventually, change their brains in salubrious ways. The highest praise I can give this book is that it will become required reading for my current and future psychotherapy students and supervisees.”
—Mark B. Andersen, PhD, professor and coordinator of the doctoral program in applied psychology at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia