This work was undertaken as a part of a doctoral program in psychology and religious studies. It was begun simply as an inquiry into the Tibetan medical psychiateric tradition, but expanded to cover Buddhism as medicine and Tibetan medicine in general when it became clear that an understanding of Tibetan psychiatry necessarily includes all these aspects.

Terry Clifford has studied Buddhist with Tibetan lamas, both East and West, for over a decade. A freelance writer and researcher, and a former contributing editor of New York magazine, Ms. Clifford has also worked extensively in psychiatric hospitals implementing therapeutic programs utilizing yoga and meditation.