Other-centred therapy is a particular approach used in
psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...
and other therapeutic fields which is grounded in
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
psychology principles. The approach addresses the relationship between the self and the world through an investigation of perception, its conditioned nature and the possibility for change.
Background
The Buddhist understanding of conditioned nature of the ordinary
mind
The mind is the set of faculties responsible for all mental phenomena. Often the term is also identified with the phenomena themselves. These faculties include thought, imagination, memory, will, and sensation. They are responsible for various m ...
provides a model of human process which is cyclical and based on distorted
perception
Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous system ...
. Since all Buddhist teachings can be linked through this model, details found in different teachings can be used to elaborate and clarify aspects of it.
This Buddhist understanding of mind can be used in practical ways to create
interventions
''Interventions'' is a book by Noam Chomsky, an American academic linguist and political activist. Published in May 2007, ''Interventions'' is a collection of 44 op-ed articles, post-9/11, from September 2002, through March 2007. The book's sub ...
which will facilitate psychological change in therapeutic and other contexts. The teachings of the
Skandha
(Sanskrit) or (Pāḷi) means "heaps, aggregates, collections, groupings". In Buddhism, it refers to the five aggregates of clinging (), the five material and mental factors that take part in the rise of craving and clinging. They are also ...
s and
Dependent origination
A dependant is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income. A common-law spouse who is financially supported by their partner may also be included in this definition. In some jurisdictions, supporting a dependant may enabl ...
describe a cycle of perception and
attachment
Attachment may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Attachments'' (novel), a 2011 novel by Rainbow Rowell
* ''Attachments'' (TV series), a BBC comedy-drama that ran from 2000 to 2002
Law
* Attachment (law), a means of collecting a legal judgment by lev ...
and examining the stages in this cycle suggest a number of different possibilities for therapeutic intervention.
Other-centred approaches tend to focus on those interventions which relate to aspects of the cycle of human process which are connected to the
world view
A worldview or world-view or ''Weltanschauung'' is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the whole of the individual's or society's knowledge, culture, and point of view. A worldview can include natural p ...
. These are more amenable to change than those parts with which the person identifies. People are more willing to question their perception of others than their
sense of self
In the psychology of self, one's self-concept (also called self-construction, self-identity, self-perspective or self-structure) is a collection of beliefs about oneself. Generally, self-concept embodies the answer to the question ''"Who am I? ...
.
Other centred models include developing clearer views of the other and moving beyond conditioned,
self-invested interest. They include methods such as
Naikan
Naikan (Japanese: 内観, ) is a structured method of self-reflection developed by Yoshimoto Ishin (1916–1988) in the 1940s. The practice is based around asking oneself three questions about a person in one's life:
* What did I receive fr ...
. This approach is being developed on the Tariki Psychotherapy Training Programme. The model can also be linked to mindfulness based approaches, particularly where these are interpreted in the light of the Satipatthana sutta in the overall context of Buddhist teachings.
Further reading
* Brazier C. 2003. ''Buddhist Psychology''. Constable Robinson.
* Brazier C. 2009. ''Other Centred Therapy''. O-Books.
* Brazier D. 2009. ''Love and its Disappointment''. O-Books.
* Brazier C. 2011. '' Acorns Among the Grass''. O-Books.
* Krech G. 2001. ''Naikan: gratitude, grace, and the Japanese art of self-reflection''. Stonebridge Press.
References
{{Reflist
External links
* http://www.buddhistpsychology.info
Amida Trust website* http://www.tarikitrust.com
Buddhist meditation
Psychotherapies