Question 1

What is meant by “Zen”?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Zen is a Japanese word that loosely translated means Meditation - The practice of Zen originated in China  where Bodhidharma got fed up with the practice of Buddhism and went to China - In China the practice is known as Chan (which also means meditation)  Zen is all about the practice of formal sitting meditation

Question 2

What was the reason behind incorporating Zen into DBT?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Marsha was looking for a way of including acceptance into good behavior therapy. The emphasis on change created high levels of dysregulation, when balanced with change (held together with dialectics) clients were able to both see the need for change and accept what is.  Radical acceptance and the core mindfulness skills come straight from Zen.  Zen is a practice and not a religion it is trans-confessional in nature.  At the time Marsha was developing DBT other forms of mindfulness had not yet made their way into psychological treatments.

Question 3

How can we help clients gain a non-judgemental understanding of how their dysfunctional behaviours are linked to emotion deregulation?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

In Zen we reference Karma - this is often misinterpreted as I must have done bad things in a previous life.  Karma is simply the laws of cause and effect.  Taking a non judgmental stance includes embracing cause and effect - if you want to change later outcomes you have to change the causes.  Adding judgment only causes suffering - we can agree that behaviors are ineffective at reaching desired outcomes - letting go of the judgment allows us to see this

Question 4

How does the essence of Zen create behaviour change?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Think in terms of radical acceptance (Which comes straight from Zen)- before anything can change you have to accept what is. Refusal to accept will keep you in hell - acceptance is the first step in being able to make changes.

Question 5

How is Zen mindfulness different to other types of mindfulness?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Zen is typically done with eyes open and not closed and without the guided imagery - many of the mindfulness based treaments incorporate the practice of vipassana  meditation.  Zen is a focus on being present in this one moment

Question 6

What are the overlapping elements of Zen mindfulness and DBT?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Both Zen and Behavior Therapy are in agreement on these elements

No self
Unity
Individuality
Non Judgmental Stance
Present Focus
Practice
Exposure and Opposite Action

Behavior therapy is experimental in nature and Zen is experiential - and somehow they reach the same conclusions

Question 7

Why is Zen (i.e. seeing reality as it is) the start point of changing patterns of behaviour?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

You can't change what you first don't accept - if I don't accept that my lost car keys are not on their usual hook - I will keep looking in the same place (the hook) and never  find them.

Question 8

How are the mechanisms of change in Zen mindfulness and DBT similar?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Both Zen and Behavior Therapy are in agreement on these elements

No self
Unity
Individuality
Non Judgmental Stance
Present Focus
Practice
Exposure and Opposite Action

Behavior therapy is experimental...

Question 9

How does engaging in Zen mindfulness help to gain insight into oneself?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

If you are fortunate you might have an enlightenment experience which truly is seeing reality including oneself as it truly is. It is important to note that the real goal of mindfulness practice is mindfulness practice - seeing reality as it is, increased happiness, decreased suffering, increased connection are just fortunate side-effects of doing the practice

Question 10

What is a core Zen practice? Especially when life gets hard.

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

I would say radical acceptance - this is letting go of the attachment that things should be different that they are.  Also sitting zazen (formal meditation) every day  - it only needs to be for five or ten minutes  - research has shown that this will increase happiness and decrease suffering - I need to stress that frequency is more important than duration - every day is best.

Question 11

Does DBT teach a specific mindfulness meditation?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

DBT mindfulness comes from the practice of Zen - this is sitting in mediation and asking yourself what is this?  An open monitoring of what is.  Telling your internal narrator to take some time off and being present  -You may want to go to a Zen temple and experience the practice in action

Question 12

How does DBT effectively balance a behavioral focus on change with radical acceptance?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Radical acceptance is the first necessary step to change - you can't change what you first haven't accepted - when we get uncomfortable we tend to avoid  - we can often avoid in very familiar maladaptive behavior patterns - in treatment the focus becomes on stopping the behavior and then no one actually solves the problem causing the discomfort.  Acceptance is turning the mind towards acceptance.  Acceptance is not approval, not resignation and is not adverse to change in fact it has to be the first step towards change

Question 13

How has the Zen principle of the essential perfection of each moment been incorporated into DBT?

Randy Wolbert · Accepted Answer

Think if the skill of one mindfully - the only moment that truly exists is the moment that we are living in right now - the past is gone - it no longer exists, the future is not yet here - only this moment exists - we  suffer less when we let go of the attachment that things should be different than they are an allow ourselves to experience just this one moment

Zen and DBT

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