EP 38: Mark Epstein & Tyler Lapkin

EP 38: Mark Epstein & Tyler Lapkin

From The Podcast With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell Foundation

August 12, 2025 · 1h 4m · Episode 38

About this episode

Dr. Mark Epstein discusses the integration of Buddhist psychology with Western psychotherapy and its impact on self-awareness and emotional healing.

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Mark Epstein - psychiatrist, author, and pioneer in integrating Buddhist psychology with Western psychotherapy. With decades of experience, Mark has transformed how we understand the mind, self, and emotional healing. His books, including Thoughts Without a Thinker, Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart, Open to Desire, The Trauma of Everyday Life, and The Zen of Therapy , offer a profound synthesis of Eastern spiritual insight and Western psychological depth. Influenced by teachers like Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, and Joseph Goldstein, Mark shows us how, psychotherapy, mindfulness, and compassion can lead to deeper self-awareness. In our conversation, we dive into Mark’s journey, how both Buddhism and Western psychology can illuminate the stories we live by. We also discuss his connection to Joseph Campbell, and how myth can serve as a powerful vehicle for self-discovery and personal growth.

People in this episode

Host: Joseph Campbell Foundation

Guest: Dr. Mark Epstein

Topics covered

  • Buddhist psychology
  • Western psychotherapy
  • emotional healing
  • self-awareness
  • myth and self-discovery

Keywords

  • Buddhism
  • psychotherapy
  • self-discovery
  • emotional healing
  • mindfulness

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Thoughts Without a Thinker, Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart, Open to Desire, The Trauma of Everyday Life, The Zen of Therapy

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