Tara Brach Explained

Tara Brach
Birth Date:	15 May 1953
Known For:	Buddhist teaching
Spouse:	Jonathan Foust

Tara Brach (born May 17, 1953) is an American psychologist, author, and proponent of Buddhist meditation. She is a guiding teacher and founder of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C. (IMCW).^[1] Brach also teaches about Buddhist meditation at centers for meditation and yoga in the United States and Europe, including Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California; the Kripalu Center;^[2] and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies.^[3]

Brach is an Engaged Buddhist, specializing in the application of Buddhist teachings and mindfulness meditation to emotional healing.^[4] She has authored several books on these subjects, including Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and Radical Compassion.

Education

Brach holds bachelor's degrees in psychology and political science from Clark University. She was awarded a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Fielding Graduate University^[5] based on her dissertation analyzing the effectiveness of meditation in the healing of eating disorders.

Personal life

Brach resides in Virginia with her husband, Jonathan Foust, a yoga and meditation teacher. She was raised Christian Unitarian.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Bibliography

Books and published works

• Book: Brach, Tara . 2003 . Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha . Bantam . 0-553-80167-8.
  • Brach, Tara (2012). "Mindful Presence: A Foundation for Compassion and Wisdom", in Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy: Deepening Mindfulness in Clinical Practice edited by Christopher K. Germer and Ronald D. Siegel. Guilford Press Book: Brach, Tara. True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart. 2013. Bantam. 978-0553807622. registration.
  • Brach, Tara (2014). "Healing Traumatic Fear: The Wings of Mindfulness and Love", in Mindfulness-Oriented Interventions for Trauma: Integrating Contemplative Practices edited by Follette, Briere, Rozelle, Hopper and Rome. Guilford Press Book: Brach, Tara . 2019 . Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN. Viking. 978-0525522812.
• Book: Brach, Tara . 2021 . Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness. Sounds True. 978-1-68364-713-3.

Audio publications

• Radical Self-Acceptance: A Buddhist Guide to Freeing Yourself from Shame (2005)
• Radical Acceptance: Guided Meditations (2007)
• Meditations for Emotional Healing (2009)
• Meditation and Psychotherapy: A Professional Training Course for Integrating Mindfulness into Clinical Practice (2011)
• Mindfulness Meditations: Nine Guided Practices to Awaken Presence and Open Your Heart (2012)
• Finding True Refuge: Meditations for Difficult Times (2013)

External links

• • Tara Brach's Insight Meditation Community of Washington Biography
• Downloadable talks and meditations at IMCW
• Downloadable talks and meditations at Dharmaseed

Interviews

• Tara Brach on Mindfulness, Psychotherapy and Awakening Psychotherapy.net, by Deb Kory, 2012.
• When Ego Meets Non-Ego Shambhala Sun, by Andrea Miller, March 2013.
• A Blend of Buddhism and psychology American Psychological Association, Psychologist Profile by Tori Angelis, February 2014.
• The Awakened Heart: A Conversation with Tara Brach Psychology Today with Mark Matousek May 15, 2014.
• Wake Up from Unworthiness – An Interview with Tara Brach Spirituality & Health – September–October 2015. (Paywall)
• Releasing the Barriers to Love: An Interview with Tara Brach Psychology Today with Mark Matousek November 2015.

Articles

• Brach, Tara. "Feeling Overwhelmed? Remember RAIN" Mindful Magazine, June 13, 2014.
• Brach, Tara. "Facing My White Privilege" Lion's Roar Magazine, June 22, 2016.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tara Brach - Teacher page . imcw.org . Insight Meditation Community of Washington . https://web.archive.org/web/20160203061700/http://imcw.org/Teachers/TeacherDetail/TeacherID/1 . February 3, 2016.
2. Web site: Tara Brach . Kripalu.org . Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health . November 28, 2015.
3. Web site: Tara Brach, PhD . Eomega.org . February 12, 2012 . Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Inc . November 29, 2015.
4. A blend of Buddhism and psychology. February 2022 . 45 . 2 . DeAngelis . Tori . Monitor on Psychology . American Psychological Association.
5. News: Adelman . Ken . May 1, 2005 . What I've learned: Tara Brach . Washingtonian . August 9, 2011.
6. News: Riding the wave of secular meditation. June 2, 2013. Boorstein . Michelle . . August 22, 2015.
7. Web site: Meditation guru Tara Brach is calm eye of Washington's storm . Boorstein . Michelle . May 18, 2013 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924010057/http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2013/05/18/meditation-guru-tara-brach-is-calm-eye-of-washingtons-stress-filled-storm/10131 . September 24, 2015.
8. Web site: "Allow life to be as it is". April 5, 2019.