Integrating Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy and a Buddhism-Inspired Aversion/Attachment Model of Client Suffering: The Cases of "Beth" and "Amy"
Jason Samlin
Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy December 17, 2016 DOI: 10.14713/pcsp.v12i4.1992 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Two psychotherapy clients, "Beth" and "Amy" |
| Interventions | Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (TLDP) mindfulness meditation acceptance practices skillful means strategies |
| Dose | eight half-hour mindfulness meditation practices before sessions 6-13 |
| Duration | 23 sessions for Beth and 20 sessions for Amy |
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | The authors propose that a Buddhist-informed Aversion/Attachment Model of Client Suffering can be assimilatively integrated into Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy. In two pilot cases, Beth showed a dramatically positive outcome and Amy a moderately successful one; the authors discuss possible reasons for this difference. |
Abstract
In recent times, Buddhist psychological concepts have become appealing to many psychotherapy theorists and practitioners. Included are such notions as mindfulness, the "acceptance" of experience, the nature and causes of suffering, and the use of "skillful means" behaviors and thoughts that are intentionally undertaken to reduce suffering both for oneself and others. While there are a number of cognitive-behavioral therapy treatments that incorporate such Buddhist psychological concepts, little research and practice has been done examining the integration of such concepts and short-term dynamic psychotherapy. As one effort to fill this gap in research, the purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test in two cases—"Beth" and "Amy"—a model (a) that was based on such Buddhist concepts and (b) that would assimilatively integrate with the "home theory" of an established form of modern, relational, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, namely, Levenson's (1995, 2010) Time-Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (TLDP). The new model is called the "Aversion/Attachment Model of Client Suffering" (A/AMCS). The A/AMCS model was conceptually incorporated into Beth's and Amy's case formulations through an expansion of TLDP’s case formulation method. Also, the A/AMCS model was technically integrated into TLDP treatment in two ways. First, formal mindfulness meditation practices were implemented with each client by conducting eight half-hour practices before sessions 6-13, in the context of therapy that lasted 23 and 20 sessions, respectively. Second, the treatment sessions included the incorporation of acceptance practices and skillful means strategies. Following the Pragmatic Case Study Method (Fishman, 2005), Beth and Amy’s cases are examined both quantitatively and qualitatively. This study concludes with a discussion of the possible reasons for Beth's dramatically positive outcome compared with Amy's only moderately successful outcome, together with a broader discussion of how future research could further examine the integration of Buddhist psychological concepts and short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The DSC Triangle Model of Buddhist Palliative Care: Doctrine, Spiritual Pillar, and Community at Wat Kham Pramong Five care-team informants and five terminal cancer patients at Wat Kham Pramong, Sakon... | 2026 | Qualitative case study | n = 10 |
| Model Implementasi Spiritual Mindfulness untuk Penguatan Mental Health Remaja di Sekolah Islam Adolescents in two Islamic high schools in Gresik, Indonesia | 2026 | Qualitative multiple case study | |
| “Science” in Huayan Buddhism: The Apologetic Discourse of Zhong Maosen (b. 1973) | 2026 | Case study | |
| IMPACTS OF MINDFULNESS ON CONCENTRATION: A SELF-REPORT OF A 20-DAY PRACTICE OF MEDITATIVE WALKING A single practitioner | 2025 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Bruno's Score. A composer and cognitive musicologist named Bruno | 2019 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012
- Compassion in the landscape of suffering Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review May 15, 2011
- Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research September 16, 2010