A new study from an expert at The University of Manchester has found that ancient Buddhist wisdom could help address growing social and emotional challenges created by modern life and the pressures of today's mental health systems.
The research by trainee counselling psychologist Minwoo Kang, which has been published in Psychotherapy and Politics International, calls for a re-thinking of how spirituality can be understood and used in psychotherapy.
Kang's work suggests that Buddhism offers much more than meditation or mindfulness - it provides an ethical and spiritual framework that can help counter the individualism and stress often driven by neoliberalism.
"Mindfulness has become popular in workplaces and therapy rooms, but it is often stripped of its deeper spiritual roots," Kang explains. "When used only as a productivity tool, it risks becoming part of the very system that causes people distress. Buddhism, in its full context, reminds us of compassion, interconnection and humility - qualities that modern mental health care needs more than ever."
Kang's paper proposes a new approach he calls "Buddhism as method." This framework uses Buddhist teachings such as impermanence, conditionality and relativity to critically examine the ways mental-health practice can unintentionally reinforce social injustice and individual blame.
Drawing on his own experiences of growing up in South Korea and training in the UK, Kang explores how spirituality can serve as both a personal and social force for change.
"Spiritual growth isn't just about inner peace," he says. "It can also inspire collective action - challenging racism, materialism and the climate crisis by helping people recognise their deep connection with others and with the natural world."
The study highlights that Buddhist principles - like the understanding that everything is interconnected and constantly changing - can encourage psychological therapists and researchers to adopt greater self-awareness, compassion and ethical reflection in their work.
It also argues that spirituality can empower individuals to resist the sense of isolation and competition fostered by consumer culture.
Kang hopes his research will inspire future psychologists and psychotherapists to look beyond Western, medicalised approaches to therapy and to embrace more holistic, inclusive perspectives.
