Over the course of the past century, there have been significant connections established between Buddhist principles and practices and the field of modern psychology. Various aspects of Buddhism, such as its understanding of the mind, insights into the causes of suffering, methods for cultivating mindfulness and managing negative emotions, as well as its concept of a self without ego, have had an impact on and been incorporated by different branches of Western psychology. The focus in this paper is on areas where Buddhist thought has intersected with clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, and humanistic psychology. Specifically explored are topics like mindfulness-based interventions, meditation practices applied in therapy settings, emotions from a Buddhist perspective psychotherapy technique inspired by Buddhist philosophy. The first section provides an outline of how Buddhism views the nature of consciousness or subjective experience. It then goes on to discuss how mindfulness practices derived from Buddhism have rapidly gained popularity within clinical psychology and psychotherapy fields. Subsequent sections examine how ideas from Buddhism regarding the origins harmful emotions destructive feelings illusions about one's sense self-have influenced new approaches in psychological research. Finally discussed is effectiveness or efficacy therapeutic techniques drawn from Buddhism as well as mindful-based interventions used in clinical practice. Overall, this review highlights how concepts derived from Buddhist teachings have shaped modern Western psychological theory intervention strategies. By incorporating these principles into their work many psychologists are finding new ways to approach mental health treatment promote overall well-being.
