This week’s discussion continues to explore the benefits of Buddhist psychology and mental health. Peter began the talk by reading an article on PTSD and the aftereffects of the war in Iraq to demonstrate the currency of this problem in our culture. He described the symptoms of PTSD and how the brain is changed in structure and function by unresolved trauma. This was followed by describing how regular practice of mindfulness meditation has been shown to beneficially change the structures and functions of the same brain areas adversely affected by trauma. Peter related the problems of PTSD and how the resolutions are associated with the Noble Eightfold Path. Clinically valid interventions for PTSD, such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and mindfulness combined with Exposure Therapy were described.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: PTSD and the Dharma
Next weeks talk will focus on the relationship between addiction recovery and mindfulness meditation.
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