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Seminar | January 9, 2026, 11:45AM - 1:15PM
Topic: Prelude to Training

Bringing Clarity to Confusion, Buddhist Basics for Clinicians

Have you ever had a patient who meditates? Who practices some form of Buddhism or related contemplative practice? As meditation and other contemplative practices derived from Buddhist practice become more common, there is a need to understand the fundamental tenets of the Buddhist view, and the way meditation and other practices follow from those tenets. What are the goals of these practices? How do they relate to psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work? How can the clinician work effectively with those who engage in these practices? Understanding the use and misuse of contemplative practice is vital to working effectively with the Buddhist patient. Learn how contemplative practices can be synergistic with psychotherapeutic processes and how they can be used defensively, to the detriment of both the therapeutic and contemplative processes. For example, a Buddhist patient with masochistic pathology may misuse concepts related to suffering to rationalize his attraction to painful experiences. This would indicate a distortion or misunderstanding of the Buddhist understanding of the causes of and the response to, suffering. Knowing this would allow the clinician to engage more effectively with the defensive use of the patient's stance.

Event Location

Seminar | January 9, 2026, 11:45AM - 1:15PM

About the Event.

Have you ever had a patient who meditates? Who practices some form of Buddhism or related contemplative practice? As meditation and other contemplative practices derived from Buddhist practice become more common, there is a need to understand the fundamental tenets of the Buddhist view, and the way meditation and other practices follow from those tenets. What are the goals of these practices? How do they relate to psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work? How can the clinician work effectively with those who engage in these practices? Understanding the use and misuse of contemplative practice is vital to working effectively with the Buddhist patient. Learn how contemplative practices can be synergistic with psychotherapeutic processes and how they can be used defensively, to the detriment of both the therapeutic and contemplative processes. For example, a Buddhist patient with masochistic pathology may misuse concepts related to suffering to rationalize his attraction to painful experiences. This would indicate a distortion or misunderstanding of the Buddhist understanding of the causes of and the response to, suffering. Knowing this would allow the clinician to engage more effectively with the defensive use of the patient's stance.

About Our Speaker.

Kathleen Lyon, MD

Kathleen Lyon, MD is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst practicing in NYC since 1991, and a student and practitioner of Buddhism for more than 25 years. A training analyst at PANY, she has taught courses on theory and technique in the psychoanalytic program there, has taught and supervised at the NYU Medical Center Psychiatry residency program and has also taught mindfulness meditation and compassion cultivation meditation programs in NYC and elsewhere. She is a fellow of the International Neuropsychoanalytic Society. She is a faculty member at Dharma College, in Berkeley CA, and teaches via their worldwide virtual platform on Buddhist psychology and practices, and their intersection with Western psychology and treatments.

Learning Objectives.

  1. Describe the basic tenets of the Buddhist view, and how they are synergistic with the psychoanalytic perspective.
  2. Understand how meditative and other practices follow from those tenets, and what their aims are.
  3. Assess if the patient is using their practice to enhance or defend against the psychotherapeutic process, and feel more able to address this constructively.

CME/ CE Statement.

 ACCME Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and Psychoanalytic Association of New York. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Statement
The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME's identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support. 

Psychoanalytic Association of New York (affiliated with NYU Grossman School of Medicine) is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0112.

Psychoanalytic Association of New York, affiliated with NYU School of Medicine is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0124.

Psychoanalytic Association of New York is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #P0064.

Psychoanalytic Association of New York is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0304.

CME/ CE Credits Available: 1.5

Citations.

A Meditator's Guide to Buddhism; by Cortland Dahl, Shambhala Publications, Sept 3, 2024

Weaving the Paths of Buddhism and Mindfulness, The Practice of Human Being; by Helen Carter, Routledge, August 29, 2023

The Ultimate Rx, Cutting Through the Delusion of Self Cherishing; Lisa Dale Miller. LMFT, LPCC, SEP, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2016, R.E. Purser et al. (eds.), Handbook of Mindfulness.

How to Prepare.

VIRTUAL ATTENDEES will receive a Zoom registration link the week of the event.

 

IN-PERSON ATTENDEES:

NYU Psychiatry Department

1 Park Avenue, 8th Floor (bet. 32nd and 33rd streets)

New York, NY 10016

 

Bagels and coffee will be provided!

 

BUILDING INFORMATION:

- The building visitor registration system has been upgraded to allow for registered visitors to bypass the security desk, and use a QR code sent to your email. Please follow the instructions included in that email. The email's subject line is "Mobile Visitor Credential from New York University" from the email sender no-reply@sigatateway.com

- If you did not receive the email with the QR code, your name is in the visitor registration system, and you may check in at the desk after showing a government or state issued identification.

- Take an elevator to the 8th floor and look for an open door or a PANY sign with contact information.

- Masks are not currently required at this NYU Langone Health location, but those who wish to mask may do so.

- If you are experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms, or have had a recent exposure, please stay home.

 - We recommend that you dress in layers for all temperature conditions. The rooms can alternate between warm and cold.

 

 

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