Intersections of Dharma and Therapy: Integrating Indic Wisdom into Psychotherapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12794/journals.sujjs.v2i1.323Keywords:
Dharma, mental health, psychotherapy, positive psychology, therapy interventionsAbstract
This essay discusses how dharmic principles can be incorporated into psychotherapy to improve mental well-being and personal growth. Concepts of mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, non-attachment, and ethical sensitivity are presented in the context of structured therapeutic interventions. Research suggests that these practices can improve psychological symptoms like anxiety and depression, along with enhancing moral behavior, emotional control, self-kindness, and overall character development. The review posits challenges in introducing these practices into therapy in a respectful and successful manner and references empirical evidence for their use. Overall, the integration of dharma-based concepts into psychotherapy offers an avenue toward mental health treatment wherein healing incorporates not only the remission of symptoms but also the acquisition of the well-being and personal growth fostered via positive psychology.
References
Anandarajah, Gowri, and Ellen Hight. “Spirituality and Medical Practice: Using the HOPE Questions as a Practical Tool for Spiritual Assessment.” American Family Physician 63, no. 1 (2001): 81–89. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11195773/.
Bazzano, A. N., Y. Sun, V. Chavez-Gray, T. Akintimehin, J. Gustat, D. Barrera, and C. Roi. “Effect of Yoga and Mindfulness Intervention on Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Young Adolescents Attending Middle School: A Pragmatic Community-Based Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in a Racially Diverse Urban Setting.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19 (2022): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912076.
Beck, Aaron T. Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. Penguin, 1979.
Behere, P. B., A. Das, R. Yadav, and A. P. Behere. “Religion and Mental Health.” Indian Journal of Psychiatry 55, no. Supplemental 2 (2013): S187–94. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.105526.
Bhati, R., M. Mandal, and T. Singh. “Ancient Indian Perspectives and Practices of Mental Well-Being.” Frontiers in Psychology 16 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1616802.
Büssing, A., S. B. Khalsa, A. Michalsen, K. J. Sherman, and S. Telles. “Yoga as a Therapeutic Intervention.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, 174291. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/174291.
Carter, H., and D. Greenwood. “The Experience of Therapists Using the Buddhist Dharma and Meditation in Their Psychotherapy Practice.” Journal of Transpersonal Research 9, no. 2 (2017): 105–18.
Castellote-Caballero, Y., M. D. C. Carcelén-Fraile, A. Aibar-Almazán, Y. Rivas-Campo, and A. M. González-Martín. “Yoga as a Therapeutic Approach to Mental Health in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Frontiers in Public Health 12 (2024): 1406937. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1406937.
Gallo, G. G., D. F. Curado, M. P. A. Machado, et al. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness: Effects on University Students’ Mental Health.” International Journal of Mental Health System 17, no. 32 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-023-00604-8.
Gilbert, Paul. The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life’s Challenges. Robinson, 2009.
Goldberg, S. B. et al. “Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Clinical Psychology Review 59 (2018): 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.011.
Greenberg, Mark T. Handbook of Mindfulness and Acceptance: Applications in Clinical Psychology. Springer, 2021.
Leget, Carlo. “Using the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire: A Perspective from the Ethics of Care.” In Spiritual Needs in Research and Practice: The Spiritual Needs Questionnaire as a Global Resource for Health and Social Care, edited by Arndt Büssing. Palgrave-Macmillan, 2021.
Lim, W. L., and S. Tierney. “The Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Interventions for Promoting Well-Being of Adults Experiencing Depression Compared to Other Active Psychological Treatments: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Happiness Studies 24, no. 1 (2023): 249–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00598-z.
Malaktaris, A., C. L. McLean, S. Mallavarapu, M. S. Herbert, S. Kelsven, J. E. Bormann, and A. J. Lang. “Higher Frequency of Mantram Repetition Practice Is Associated with Enhanced Clinical Benefits among United States Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” European Journal of Psychotraumatology 13, no. 1 (2022): 2078564. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 20008198.2022.2078564.
Millard, L. A., M. W. Wan, D. M. Smith, and A. Wittkowski. “The Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy with Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Affective Disorders 326 (2023): 168–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.010.
Nair, A. B., and A. B. Nair. “Progressive Journey of Mental Health: Bridging Indian Tradition and Contemporary Mental Health.” The International Journal of Indian Psychology 12, no. 2 (2024): 4585–92. https://ijip.in/articles/contemporary-mental-health/.
Priyadarshana, W. “Dharma Therapy in Buddhism A Buddhist Psychological Review on Counselling and Psychotherapy.” In Rethinking Buddhism: Text, Content, Contestation, edited by Anand Singh. Primus Books, 2023.
Williams, J. M., I. Russell, and D. Russell. “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Further Issues in Current Evidence and Future Research.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 76, no. 3 (2008): 524–29. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.76.3.524.
Yalom, Irvin D. Existential Psychotherapy. Basic Books, 1980.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ramya Priya Ravinuthala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
This journal is hosted by the 