2 Hours / 2 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Development of Self and Mind: a Comparison of Buddhist and Western Psychology is presented by Mark D. Stauffer, Ph.D.

The integration of Buddhism into Western psychotherapy and counseling has had a positive impact on approaches to mental health. Buddhist traditions have historically rich philosophical and psychological tenet systems related to mental health and development. Mindfulness and meditation practices have been adopted in Western counseling and psychotherapy without much of the traditional process for examining the nature of self and mind.

Although the overall approach to problems and solutions in Buddhism and Western psychology may be different, some fundamental principles are shared by both disciplines. These principles include the importance of understanding the individual and their personal experience, the need for mindful and active engagement with the world around them, and the need to find ways to reduce suffering. 

This program unpacks the Buddhist psychological and philosophical emphasis on the direct experience of self and "mind" and what that potentially holds for clinicians.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe core differences between Buddhist and Western psychological views
  • 2 Describe reasons for studying the mind and self in relation to mental health and development
  • 3 Describe how practices are used to study self and mind

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians interested in integrating mindfulness, meditation, or Buddhist-informed contemplative practices into their therapeutic work. It is especially relevant for those specializing in psychotherapy, counseling, and mental health interventions that incorporate contemplative approaches, and for professionals seeking to combine Western psychological principles with Buddhist-informed practices.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychotherapists
    • Counselors
    • Clinical Social Workers
    • Marriage and Family Therapists
    • Psychologists
    • Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of familiarity with integrating Buddhist principles into Western psychotherapy.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to Buddhist psychological and philosophical concepts and have limited experience applying mindfulness or meditation practices in clinical settings.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some familiarity with Buddhist traditions and have incorporated mindfulness or meditation into their practice, but seek a deeper understanding of the underlying tenets and their clinical implications.

    • Advanced: Participants have substantial experience integrating Buddhist principles and practices into psychotherapy and are interested in advanced exploration of the direct experience of self and mind for clinical application.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians practice in therapeutic environments that integrate Western psychological interventions with mindfulness, meditation, and Buddhist-informed contemplative inquiry. Work occurs in quiet, structured settings suited for individual and group sessions, reflective dialogue, and brief guided practices, with options for in-person and telehealth delivery. Interdisciplinary, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care supports the goal of reducing suffering through direct exploration of self and mind.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Private practice psychotherapy offices
    • Outpatient mental health clinics
    • Community mental health centers
    • Hospital-based behavioral health units
    • Integrative or holistic health clinics
    • University/college counseling centers
    • Residential or intensive outpatient programs
    • Telehealth-based practices and group programs
Presented By

Mark D. Stauffer, PhD

Mark D. Stauffer, PhD, is a core faculty member in the mental health counseling program at Walden University. He has served as co-chair of the American Counseling Association International Committee, and on ACA’s Climate Change task force. Dr. Stauffer served as President of the Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC, 2018-2019) and organized and co-chaired the AHC 2019 conference: Counseling in the Age of Climate Change, International Collaboration, and Cross-Cultural Action. As a clinician he has worked in the Portland Metro Area in Oregon at crises centers and other non-profit organizations. He has studied and trained in various Buddhist traditions and leads courses and retreats at the local Zen Center where he has been member for over 25 years. Dr. Stauffer recently completed a year-long program in Buddhist Ecochaplaincy. Additional he has co-edited several textbooks in the counseling field: Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions (2017, 2022); Group Counseling (2019) Foundations of Addictions Counseling (2008, 2012, 2016, 2019), Foundations of Couples, Marriage and Family Counseling (2015, 2020), and Human Growth and Development Across the Life Span: Applications for Counselors (2016).


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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Exploration of Buddhist philosophical and psychological views on the nature of self and mind

  • Examination of how mindfulness and meditation have been adapted into Western counseling and psychotherapy

  • Discussion of the traditional processes underlying Eastern contemplative practices

  • Implications for clinicians in integrating direct experiential understanding from Buddhist psychology into therapeutic work

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.