November 22, 2021
Psychiatrist Epstein (Advice Not Given) explains in this thought-provoking account how and why he integrates his Buddhist beliefs into his psychotherapy practice, sharing vignettes about his patients and connecting the dots between Buddhism, Winnicott’s theories, and Freudian psychoanalysis. As he writes, “I believe in the power of awareness to heal. I want my patients to see how and when and where their egos, or superegos, are getting the best of them.” This gets explored in stories of such patients as Jack, a child of Holocaust survivors, who “wants to know if he will ever be healed,” and April, an anxious executive “longing... to be known, to be reached, and to be seen.” Moving through a year’s worth of sessions, Epstein demonstrates how Buddhist thought allows him to connect to patients and can be a tool to help them manage their suffering. Indeed, he writes of having seen patients’ attachments toward themselves shift, with Buddhism as the primary vector for change. Epstein’s voice is compassionate (though sometimes his own ego is on more prominent display) and he helpfully employs a variety of therapeutic theories, as well as Buddhist poems, metaphors, and imagery. Both clients and practitioners of therapy will appreciate Epstein’s take on the complex interplay of spiritual and psychological teachings. Agent: Anne Edelstein, Anne Edelstein Literary Agency.
December 1, 2021
Epstein (Open to Desire) became interested in Buddhism and meditation prior to becoming a practicing psychiatrist. While in medical school he spent time studying the Buddhist physiological state in Dharamshala, India, hosted by the Dalai Lama. His observations came to better understand the power of meditation and its relation to psychotherapy. Epstein started his psychiatry practice keeping his beliefs separate from his work. Over time, he began to share his perspective and many patients showed interest in learning more. This book explores a year's work with his patients, viewing therapy from a Buddhist mindfulness perspective. He wrote down the details of a least one session every week when he sensed that a "Buddhist element was in play." The stories in this book support Epstein's contention that meditation can be used to deal with the worst in life and potentially bring out the best in oneself. A large part of Epstein's process is confronting egocentric preoccupations that can prevent a fulfilled life. He argues that only by dispassionately observing the ego can one reveal its true nature. VERDICT Meditation has become increasingly popular in self-help in recent years; Epstein's book is recommended for anyone interested in exploring the potential benefits of a meditation practice.--Gary Medina, El Camino Coll., Torrance, CA
Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from December 1, 2021
A psychiatrist with 40 years of practice in psychotherapy and meditation shows how both can achieve the same goal: to reclaim the kindness that's at the core of all of us. Epstein draws on a lifetime of personal and professional experience to deliver a profound and optimistic examination of the links between psychotherapy and meditation. Drawing on influences as diverse as psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, the Dalai Lama, and composer John Cage, Epstein offers a warm and accessible explanation of topics that defy easy explanation. The book is part memoir and part account of one year (pre-pandemic) with Epstein's patients. In the early 1980s, as part of a medical research trip, he met the Dalai Lama. "His inspiration," writes Epstein, "helped me rise above the Western emphasis on mental illness to encompass an appreciation for the possibilities of mental health." He was drawn to vipassana, or insight meditation, which he compares to therapy in its goal of "deliberately confronting one's own innermost prejudices, expectations, habits and inclinations," and his personal goal as a therapist mirrors the further aims of insight meditation: to help his patients move from self-generated internal judgments toward a more loving attitude toward themselves and others. The author combines stories of his patients--a child of Holocaust survivors, an anorexic anesthesiologist, an actor, a medical worker for Mother Teresa's organization--with his own search for the appropriate guidance to help them. Epstein makes abstract concepts understandable, and his accounts of his patients' struggles and progress are laced with humor and hope. When our constructed minds drop away, he writes, "even for an instant, all kinds of latent interpersonal possibilities emerge--for connection, empathy, insight, joy, and dare we say, love." It's a message receptive readers will embrace in these dark and difficult times. Empathetic and persuasive--one of the better books on psychotherapy and meditation in recent years.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.