Thoughts Without a Thinker
Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Duckworth Books
Published:24th Sep '26
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£14.99(9780715627112)
Blending Buddhism and psychotherapy, acclaimed psychiatrist Mark Epstein shows how to radically transform your emotional life
An insightful investigation of how Eastern spirituality can enhance Western psychology, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama.
A revolutionary and enduring road map to a healthy emotional life.
The benefits of meditation practices like mindfulness and deep breathing are widely recognised by mainstream therapists. But what does Buddhist insight actually look like, how does it intersect with classic Western psychotherapy and what can a synthesis of both traditions offer us?
In this landmark book, updated with a new preface, acclaimed psychotherapist Dr Mark Epstein lays out the path to meditation inspired healing. At the heart of Epstein’s exploration is the concept of the ‘self ’, which Buddhism exposes as an illusory construct that breeds emotional suffering. With great clarity and insight, Epstein demonstrates how Buddhism and psychotherapy can be used in powerful tandem to loosen our attachment to the self and so free ourselves to experience real joy.
‘A groundbreaking work… The book will take its place among the classics of the literature of meditation’ Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living
'One of the most sophisticated integrations of the therapeutic and spiritual disciplines' Daniel Goleman,New York Times
'One of the most sophisticated integrations of the therapeutic and spiritual disciplines' Daniel Goleman, New York Times
'A groundbreaking work… The book will take its place among the classics of the literature of meditation' Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living
‘Epstein tries bravely and earnestly to make such matters of the mind and heart as clear as possible’ Robert Coles, New England Journal of Medicine
'Epstein’s solid book offers another example of contemporary efforts to revitalize psychotherapy' Spirituality and Practice
'Eloquent yet down‑to‑earth, this gem offers an exhilarating and expansive perspective on the therapeutic process' Booklist
'A highly personal, thoughtful, illuminating synthesis… Patients, psychologists, and meditators… will find much spiritual nourishment' Publishers Weekly
‘Mark Epstein’s book is inspired in its lucidity… After Thoughts Without a Thinker, psychotherapy without a Buddhist perspective looks like a diminished thing’ Adam Phillips, author of On Kissing, Tickling, and Being Bored
'A marvellous book that is at once scholarly and fresh, informative and personal' Stephen A. Mitchell, author of Relational Concepts in Psychoanalysis
‘A most lucid and expert account of the wedding of psychotherapy and meditation. An Eastern‑Western psychology that truly speaks from the inside of both worlds’ Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart
'I loved Thoughts Without a Thinker. Mark Epstein has given us a brilliant account of how an ancient science of mind, based on a rich meditative tradition, can complement therapy and lead to new dimensions of wisdom and wholeness' Joan Borysenko, author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind
ISBN: 9780715657133
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
272 pages