The Double Bypass: Cohering Psychotherapy and the Buddhist Path
Gregory Kramer, Fabio Giommi
Mindfulness August 31, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02967-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Key points | Argues that early Buddhist psychology can be integrated with contemporary psychotherapy to address the 'double bypass' of spiritual and psychological bypass, using processes like nonattachment, decentering, and compassion, grounded in the therapist's practice and 'right view' and 'right effort.' |
Abstract
This paper aimed to present a conceptual framework that facilitates integrating early Buddhist psychology with contemporary psychotherapy. It was conceptual in scope, rooted in the framework of the early Buddhist teachings. While grounded in contemplative and clinical experience, it selectively integrated contemporary scholarship from psychotherapy, contemplative neuroscience, and Buddhist psychology. The article addresses critical limitations in the current literature by engaging with contemporary scientific theories providing empirical support for proposed mechanisms, and outlining practical implications for clinicians. Central to this integration is the recognition of a double bypass consisting in two complementary risks: spiritual bypass, wherein transcendent practices are used to avoid necessary psychological work; and psychological bypass, wherein excessive focus on self-consolidation precludes existential and transcendent inquiry. A Buddhist-informed psychotherapy, grounded in the personal practice of the therapist, in “right view” and “right effort” particularly, can address both forms of bypass through empirically tractable processes, including nonattachment, decentering, and compassion.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 15
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- Treatment-specific changes in decentering following mindfulness-based cognitive therapy versus antidepressant medication or placebo for prevention of depressive relapse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology March 12, 2012
and 10 more in the library