Prescribing the Dharma: Psychotherapists, Buddhist Traditions, and Defining Religion

325 Pages·2019·4.845 MB·English

by  Ira Helderman

Prescribing the Dharma
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Prescribing
the Dharma
|
Psychotherapists,
Buddhist Traditions, and
Defining Religion
|
ira helDerman
The UniversiTy of norTh Carolina Press
ChaPel hill
This book was published with the assistance of
the Lilian R. Furst Fund of the University of North
Carolina Press.
© 2019 The University of  North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Designed by April Leidig
Set in Minion by Copperline Book Services, Inc.
The University of North Carolina Press has been
a member of the Green Press Initiative since 2003.
Cover illustration: © iStockphoto.com / justhavealook
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Helderman, Ira, author.
Title: Prescribing the Dharma : psychotherapists, Buddhist traditions, and
defining religion / Ira Helderman.
Description: Chapel Hill : The University of North Carolina Press, [2019] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: lccn 2018029732| isbn 9781469648514 (cloth : alk. paper) |
isbn 9781469648521 (pbk : alk. paper) | isbn 9781469648538 (ebook)
Subjects: lcsh: Dharma (Buddhism) | Psychotherapists. | Psychotherapy—
Religious aspects—Buddhism. | Buddhism and psychoanalysis. |
Buddhism—Psychology. | Psychology and religion.
Classification: lcc bq4570.p755 h45 2019 | ddc 294.3/3615—dc23
lc record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018029732
contents
Acknowledgments vii
introDuction
1
one
Coming to Terms with Our Terms
23
two
Look but Don’t Touch:
Therapizing Religion Approaches
53
three
Research Tested, Science Approved:
Filtering Religion Approaches
79
Four
Black Boxes and Trojan Horses:
Translating Religion Approaches
113
Five
Keeping Meditation Religious and Psychotherapy Secular:
Personalizing Religion Approaches
147
six
With Rigor:
Adopting Religion Approaches
179
seven
Over the Borderline:
Integrating Religion Approaches
209
conclusion
241
Notes 265
Works Cited 285
Index 305
acknowleDgments
This book was created out of relationships. Perhaps such a sentiment would
be expected, coming as it does from a religious studies scholar who also
maintains a full- time psychotherapy practice. But it seems to me to be merely
a descriptive statement; this book was written relationally, through listening
curiously and openly and through, thankfully, being truly heard by others as
I shared my own curiosities and concerns.
This started with Howard Roback, my benefactor at nearly every stage of
my career, and continued through advisers and friends at Vanderbilt Uni-
versity beginning with Volney Gay, Jay Geller, Rob Campany, Bonnie Miler-
McLemore, Ruth Rogaski, Tony Stewart, Nancy Lin, and Bryan Lowe.
Furthermore, throughout conducting this research I have been struck by
the willingness of others to respond when I would “cold call” (or, rather, “cold
email”) them, reaching out for support, insight, and engagement. This book
would, of course, have been impossible if my interviewees had not decided
to participate when I contacted them. I will always appreciate their generos-
ity, for trusting me to hear them: Harvey Aronson, Paul Cooper, Christopher
Germer, Steven Hayes, Pilar Jennings, Joe Loizzo, Barry Magid, Melvin Miller,
Susan Pollak, Jeffrey Rubin, Ron Siegel, Jan Surrey, Gay Watson, Karen Kissel
Wegela, and Polly Young- Eisendrath.
Further, I am grateful to many others in the field of religious studies who
also responded when I reached out. A few have become mentors and friends
who, from the very first steps that ultimately led to this book, have offered
me deep engagement beyond only exchanging ideas or comments on drafts:
David McMahan, Ann Gleig, Pierce Salguero, and Anne Harrington.
But this gratitude extends to the many others who have also taken the time
to give their perspective in conversation (Linda Barnes, Kin Cheung, Nalika
Gajaweera, Lance Laird, Sonya Pritzker, James Robson, Michael Stanley-
Baker, and Jeff Wilson), some of whom were also able to give helpful feedback
on chapters and drafts of this book (Erik Braun, Francisca Cho, Rainer Funk,
Pamela Klassen, Brent Nongbri, and Robert Sharf).
viii acknowleDgments
This work has also benefitted immeasurably from the feedback of the two
readers at University of North Carolina Press, Wendy Cadge and William
Parsons. I am deeply grateful for their thoughtful and considered responses,
which helped both open this book up and give it more texture.
And I greatly appreciate all the help of the staff at University of North Car-
olina Press for the expertise (and patience) of Mary Carley Caviness, Dino
Battista, April Leidig, Karen Carroll, and Andrew Winters, and, especially,
the guidance, enthusiasm, and encouragement of my editor, Elaine Maisner.
But, of course, it is the relationships that sustain me on a daily basis upon
which this book is truly grounded: my family, friends, and “circle” who have
supported me—even through their surprise when, many years ago now, I
shared with them that I had decided to take up religious studies scholarship.
And, to my wife, Jennifer Bailey Helderman, whose love and encourage-
ment lifts me up and carries me along, whose own work healing the world
never ceases to inspire and amaze me.
Finally, this book is dedicated to the many courageous colleagues, super-
visees, students, and friends I have had the privilege of connecting with over
more than a decade and a half of working in mental health, who, every day,
sit down in their offices and bring care and compassion to suffering people.
They breathe between each line of this book.
Interspersed throughout this book are ideas and language that previously ap-
peared in the articles “Drawing the Boundaries between ‘Religion’ and ‘Secu-
lar’ in Psychotherapists’ Approaches to Buddhist Traditions in the United
States” published in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion and
“ ‘The Conversion of the Barbarians’: Comparison and Psychotherapists’ Ap-
proaches to Buddhist Traditions in the United States” published in Buddhist
Studies Review.
A final note that, due to the constraints of academic publishing, the refer-
ences for this book are limited to works cited; the depth and breadth of works
that my research is founded upon far exceed those listed therein.
Prescribing the Dharma