#110 - Buddhist Psychology Meets Western Therapy with Bill Belanger M.A.

In this episode of the State of Mind Mental Health Podcast, I sit down with Bill Belanger — psychotherapist, 20+ year Buddhist meditation practitioner, and longtime student of Harvard psychologist and Tibetan Buddhist teacher Dr. Daniel Brown — to unpack what gets lost when Buddhist psychology is repackaged as Western wellness. Bill is writing a book on integrating Buddhism with Western psychology, and he walks me through the three levels the Buddhist tradition uses to explain why we suffer: chronic reactivity, emptiness of self, and non-dual awareness. Along the way we get into: Why "McMindfulness" leaves people underwhelmed The difference between compassion meditation and mindfulness — and why compassion might be the better starting point How Buddhist ethics map onto the 12 steps The community problem in Western Buddhism Why MBSR, ACT, DBT, and IFS all owe Buddhism a quiet debt Matthieu Ricard, "the happiest man alive," and intelligent selfishness How parts work (IFS / voice dialogue) makes compassion practice actually workable Meditation for people with ADHD If you've ever felt like your meditation practice plateaued, or wondered what's under the surface of all the mindfulness apps, this is a conversation I think you'll get a lot out of. Learn more about Bill: billbelanger.com Chapters 0:00 - Cold open: what mindfulness leaves out 0:45 - Meet Bill Belanger 3:00 - Buddhist psychology vs Western therapy 5:15 - "I can't meditate" — the biggest myth 7:20 - The problem with McMindfulness 11:00 - Ethics, the 12 steps, and living the practice 19:50 - Finding community in Western Buddhism 23:45 - Where MBSR actually fits 25:50 - The 3 levels of why we suffer 30:00 - Emptiness and the sensory bubble 33:00 - Investigating the self in meditation 38:15 - Non-dual awareness, Dzogchen, Mahamudra 45:40 - The six meditation styles in Bill's book 50:55 - ACT, DBT, IFS, and Buddhism's quiet influence 54:55 - Matthieu Ricard & the happiest man alive 59:05 - Parts work, voice dialogue & "idiot compassion" 1:05:40 - Bill's book, website & closing thoughts Free 1-month of the Meditation App - Waking Up https://dynamic.wakingup.com/guestpass/SC58BD912 Please Subscribe to my YouTube - YouTube Subscription Link Disclaimer Professional medical care and psychotherapeutic services are not offered on this Youtube channel. It is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such condition. Seeking professional support is encouraged if you think you have an issue and that you want help.