Description
Book SynopsisDrawn from the author's extensive experience as a therapist and as a Zen practitioner this book investigates topics that have received little attention and that practitioners and students are hungry to explore, such as radical acceptance, client-therapist boundaries, and enhancing a sense of purpose in one's daily practice.
Trade Review"….aims to guide workers dealing with difficult clients with wrenching problems." (
The Sacramento Bee, 9/14/08)
Table of ContentsForeword Edward R.Canada, PhD ix
Foreword Joan Halifax Roshi, PhD xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xxi
1 A Spiritual Helping Framework for Our Clients and Ourselves Beyond Spiritual Neutrality 1
2 Sitting with Clients on Uncertain Ground: Strong Back, Soft Front Beyond Evidence-Based Practice 9
3 Radical Acceptance of Clients, Context, and Self Beyond Carl Rogers’ Positive Regard 27
4 Mindfulness: Steadying the Mind and Being Present Beyond Empathy Skills and Counter-Transference 47
5 Curiosity, Compassionate Caring, and Inspiration Beyond Professional Warmth 71
6 Bearing Witness to Trauma and Pain Beyond Clinical Distance 97
7 The Middle Way: Embracing Contradiction and Paradox Beyond Dualistic Thinking 135
8 Having the Conversation: Making Space for Client Spirituality Beyond the Great Taboo 153
9 Dealing with Failure Beyond Cognitive Solutions and the Paradigm of Blame 163
10 Swimming Upstream with a Warrior’s Heart Beyond Working a Human Services Job 175
Appendix Brief Introduction to Buddhism and Zen 185
References 191
Index 195
