The discipline of psychotherapy is taking a great deal of interest in the spiritual traditions of the East, and in particular, in Buddhism. There are now, on the other hand, Buddhist centres of learning that include psychotherapy in their curricula.

This e-group is dedicated to dialogue on Buddhist practice and its interface with the discipline of psychotherapy. The group is open to all and doesn’t require expertise in either field. Our aim is to foster understanding of the human heart, and to provide a supportive forum whereby the interchange of Buddhist teachings and psychotherapy can be explored and shared.

The group is moderated by its owner, Christopher McLean, who is an Insight Meditation teacher, a Focusing trainer (www.focusing-sydney.net) and an govt-accredited psychotherapist in Sydney, Australia.

The guideline for moderation is the principle of non-violence. The owner of the list asks that a respectful demeanour be maintained toward all members. The primary reason for this discipline is to facilitate a safe environment, a trusting and mindful group which can deeply share and explore the essentials of Buddhist practice and psychotherapy.

It's a condition of membership of the Buddhist Psychotherapy list that posts be kept reasonably within the (necessarily vague) bounds of the relationship of psychotherapy and Buddhism. This requires some discernment on the part of members, of course.

As list owner, I can't accept people only using the list to promote themselves or their favourite unrelated thing. It's too invasive. Please help by considering your letters in this light. If you consider sending any advertising for events of interest to you, please consult with me before doing so, unless they are clearly in the Buddhist Psychotherapy field.

- Chris.

Keywords: Buddhism, Psychotherapy, Buddhist Psychotherapy, Focusing