The Australian Association of Buddhist Counsellors and Psychotherapists (AABCAP) was formed in 2006 in line with these developments and in recognition of the need to provide high quality educational and peer support for therapists wishing to incorporate these practices into their work with clients. In 2008, AABCAP’s first, two-year, Professional Training Course commenced and has run continuously ever since. The course integrates Buddhist teachings and practices with dynamic/analytic and cognitive-behavioural therapies.

Significantly, many of these effective therapies dovetail neatly with The Positive Psychology approach developed by Martin Seligman. (Coincidentally his seminal work was released in AABCAP’s inaugural year). The facilitation of a more balanced, comprehensive and evidence-based treatment for depression has remarkable complementarities with the Buddha’s teachings and the practices he recommended for enhancing the strengths, values and realistic hopes of the human mind.

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Speaker: Dr Tan is Founder President of AABCAP and its first Director of Training of AABCAP’s two-year Professional Training Course in Buddhist Psychotherapy. He presented the first evening Continuing Education Meeting of AABCAP in 2008, and he is now presenting AABCAP’s first webinar.  He is a medical doctor, consultant psychiatrist and analytic psychotherapist.  He is the Founder and Chair of Metta Clinic, an established group psychological practice in Pymble, Sydney.

He is a former Chairman of Training of the PPAA, member of the Faculty of Training of ANZAP, and the Training Advisory Board of NSWIPP.  He is also a former Chair of the Section of Psychotherapy of the RANZCP.

He continues to be on the Management and Training Committees of AABCAP. He is also a Lecturer, Academic Board Member and Adjunct Professor at Nan Tien Institute which is working towards being the first Buddhist University in Australia.

Dr. Tan works with individuals, couples and groups in his practice.  He runs Meditation, Personal Development and Analytic Groups.  He supervises helping professionals in mindfulness practices and in dynamic/analytic psychotherapies.  I the last forty years he has presented keynote addresses, workshops and seminars on Meditation, Spirituality, Buddhism and Psychotherapy in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region.