Buddhist Psychology Training: Integrating Mindfulness, Science, and Clinical Practice

Imagine a space where ancient Buddhist wisdom meets modern clinical psychology—where your deepest meditation insights become practical tools for healing, and your professional practice is grounded in both neuroscience and contemplative understanding. This four-month cohort-based training at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA offers exactly that integration. Led by Matthew Brensilver, a clinical social worker, researcher, and accomplished meditation teacher, the program weaves Buddhist psychological frameworks with evidence-based therapeutic science, creating a rare bridge for practitioners and professionals ready to work at the intersection of inner transformation and clinical excellence.

Whether you're a therapist seeking to deepen your clinical effectiveness, a counselor wanting to ground your work in contemplative wisdom, or a dedicated meditator called to support others' healing, this training meets you where you are. Over six carefully designed modules—from Buddhist psychology fundamentals through compassion-based interventions—you'll explore how mindfulness reshapes the therapeutic relationship, how meditation practices address anxiety and uncertainty, and how equanimity becomes both a personal refuge and a clinical superpower. The curriculum honors both the precision of contemporary psychology and the profound depth of Buddhist teachings, refusing to reduce either to the other.

This is learning that happens in your body and heart, not just your intellect. Each weekly live session combines guided meditation, rich discourse, and real-world clinical case discussions. You'll strengthen your own practice while building professional skills—a dual cultivation that transforms both who you are and how you show up for others.

What to Expect

The training unfolds across six modules, each exploring essential territory: foundational Buddhist psychology concepts, mindfulness integration in clinical settings, the landscape of meditation typologies, the cultivation of equanimity, skillful approaches to anxiety and uncertainty, and compassion-based interventions. Weekly live sessions blend guided meditation practice, teaching discourse, and collaborative case consultation, creating an embodied learning environment where theory comes alive through direct experience.

You'll join a committed cohort of mental health professionals—therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers—and contemplative practitioners all invested in deepening both personal practice and professional capacity. Matthew Brensilver brings clinical rigor, research grounding, and genuine spiritual depth to every session. By the program's end, you'll have enriched your meditation practice, expanded your clinical toolkit, and joined a community of practitioners integrating Buddhism and psychology in their daily work.

Venue & Logistics

This training takes place at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, a serene retreat setting designed to support deep learning and practice. The program runs for four months with weekly live sessions. Wear comfortable clothing suitable for both sitting meditation and discussion. Please contact the venue directly for specific accessibility information and logistical details about parking and arrival.