The Space Between Us (Contemplative Counseling and the Art of Encounter)

In a time of growing psychological and spiritual need, this book is both a clinician's guide and an invitation for counselors, counselors-in-training, and integrative practitioners to practice greater depth, discernment, and humanity. Bridging the long-standing divide between empirical science and lived spiritual wisdom, this book offers a grounded alternative to both overly technical manuals and uncritical self-help texts. Drawing on more than 15 years of clinical experience and a robust body of empirical research, the authors blend evidence-based insights with vivid case narratives to illuminate how contemplative practices can support treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, and existential distress. Chapters feature real-world clinical stories with concrete, usable practices, while addressing cultural humility, trauma-informed care, and ethical boundaries. This book clarifies how and when to use practices such as mindfulness, centering meditation, self-inquiry, and loving-kindness within contemporary counseling contexts. It foregrounds the counselor’s own inner work as integral to therapeutic effectiveness, positioning presence itself as a central and powerful intervention.