Suffering: A User’s Guide

Instructor(s): Paul R. Fulton

Program Description:

Overcoming suffering, avoiding unpleasant experience, and pursing happiness are common motivations in our conscious and unconscious lives. While we are all familiar with suffering and can often recognize it in ourselves and others, there are countless ways of understanding its causes and solutions. How we understand suffering shapes what we think is to be done about it. In this program, we will explore a range of different accounts of suffering and how our own understanding is shaped by personal history, culture, science, and personality, with particular attention to the underlying assumptions about suffering found in clinical psychology and psychotherapy. We will then explore the Buddha’s formulation of the origin and cessation of suffering. Through presentation, readings, deep conversation, and practice we will explore these various accounts, opening new possibilities for understanding–and responding to–suffering, both our own and the suffering of others.  This program is open to all, though it is particularly relevant for mental health practitioners and other caregivers.

Noble Silence:

Noble silence will be observed following each evening session through breakfast the following morning. Additional silent practice periods will be scheduled throughout the program.

Experience Level:

Suitable for beginning and experienced practitioners.

Continuing Education:

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Applications for 8 continuing education credits for psychologists and social workers will be submitted for this program. Accrediting agencies are the National Association for Social Workers (NASW) and the Institute for Mediation and Psychotherapy (IMP). Please confirm with your licensing board whether the CEUs offered are applicable for your licensure before arrival. 

To receive CEUs for this program, you will need to sign in on the first day, attend all sessions, complete an online post-program evaluation, and sign out on the last day. There is a $40 CEU fee which will be paid during check-out (12:00 - 2:00 PM on closing day). 

If you are unable to stay past 12:00 PM on closing day, please let me know during registration and follow up between 8:00 and 9:00 AM on closing day to get the process started. We will need you to complete an online survey, sign out, pay the CEU fee, and pick up your certificate before departure from BCBS.

Cancellation Policy:

This policy applies to all residential programs, including Paths. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note cancellation fees are at most $50 for those receiving financial assistance. As of 2023, 100% of your deposit is forfeited if you cancel less than two weeks before the program start date and there is a $50 cancellation fee if you cancel two weeks or more in advance. Beginning in 2024, prior to six weeks before the program start date, cancellation fees are $50 for all programs more than two nights and $25 for programs two nights or less. 50% of your deposit is forfeited if you cancel between two and six weeks of the program start date. 100% of your deposit is forfeited if you cancel less than two weeks before the program start date.

Covid-19 Safety Protocol:

Please review our Covid-19 Safety Protocols here: https://www.buddhistinquiry.org/covid-19/.

DEI:

As we work to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, we invite feedback/suggestions you may have regarding ways that we can make participation in the program more accessible and welcoming. Please email us at contact@buddhistinquiry.org.

About the Instructor(s):
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  Paul R. Fulton

  Paul R. Fulton is a clinical psychologist, founding member and former president of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, and a former board member of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Dr. Fulton is a Lecturer, Part-Time, in Psychology, Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School at Cambridge Health Alliance and is course director for the Institute’s year-long Certificate Program in Mindfulness & Psychotherapy. He has written and taught internationally on the integration of mindfulness and psychotherapy. Paul has been a student of psychology and meditation for over 50 years. He holds a doctorate in comparative developmental psychology from Harvard’s Laboratory for Human Development, is a contributing author to, and co-editor of, Mindfulness & Psychotherapy (Guilford Press), and many articles and book chapters on related topics, including essays for BCBS’s Insight Journal.