FACULTY OF ARTS, EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

This thesis was designed to explore the experiences of psychologists in Australia who work as psychotherapists, and who have an interest in Buddhism. The core research question was: What are the professional and personal experiences and perspectives of psychologists in Australia who are informed by Buddhism in the way they conceptualise, approach, and conduct psychotherapy? Two related supporting questions were: How do Buddhist principles inform different aspects of psychotherapy (e.g., therapist self-care, client interventions)? and In what ways do therapists incorporate Buddhist concepts (e.g., compassion) and techniques (e.g., mindfulness) into psychotherapy? In Study 1, the qualitative core of the research, I explored the experiences and impressions of psychologists interested in bringing a Buddhist perspective to psychotherapy. Initial and follow-up interviews were conducted with 14 participants. Buddhist understandings, including suffering, compassion, and mindfulness, were discussed in relation to psychotherapy. Participant psychologists revealed that certain Buddhist ideas and techniques contributed to their perceived efficacy and wellbeing a