The Institute for Nonduality-Based Therapies (INT) is committed to advancing contemplative approaches to mental health that are grounded in both experiential wisdom and scientific integrity. We recognize that nonduality-based practices arise from ancient contemplative traditions, while their systematic application within modern clinical contexts is still an emerging field of study.

This page outlines the current evidence landscape, the status of INT-related programs, and our guiding principles regarding research, evaluation, and public claims.

Current State of the Evidence

At present, Nonduality-Based Therapies—including Nonduality-Based Stress Reduction (NDSR)—should be understood as emerging, exploratory, and pre-clinical frameworks rather than established, evidence-based treatments.

There are no large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have yet validated nonduality-based interventions as standalone clinical treatments. INT does not claim otherwise.

However, a substantial and growing body of research supports several foundational components that nonduality-based approaches draw upon, including:

  • Mindfulness-based interventions and stress reduction programs

  • Metacognitive awareness and decentering processes

  • Self-transcendent and reduced self-referential processing

  • Contemplative practices associated with psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and well-being

  • Neurophenomenological and neuroscience research examining altered self-experience and non-ordinary states of awareness

INT views nonduality-based work as a next-step synthesis—integrating these well-studied elements into a coherent contemplative framework focused on non-dual awareness.

Relationship to Established Interventions

Nonduality-Based Therapies are informed by, but distinct from, established modalities such as:

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Metacognitive Therapy

  • Compassion-based interventions

  • Contemplative neuroscience and phenomenological psychology

While these approaches often include moments of self-transcendence or decentering, nonduality-based frameworks place non-dual awareness itself at the center of training, rather than treating it as a secondary or advanced outcome.

Status of INT Programs

Nonduality-Based Stress Reduction (NDSR)

NDSR is currently in a developmental and pilot-phase stage. It has not yet been validated as an evidence-based clinical intervention.

INT’s current work includes:

  • Curriculum development and refinement

  • Feasibility and safety considerations

  • Informal pilot studies and observational feedback

  • Preparation for future structured research

Any future claims regarding efficacy will be based solely on appropriately designed studies and peer-reviewed outcomes.

Research Standards and Ethics

INT adheres to the following principles:

  • No clinical claims without evidence

  • Clear distinction between contemplative education and clinical treatment

  • Transparency regarding limitations and unknowns

  • Respect for both scientific rigor and contemplative depth

INT does not present its programs as substitutes for psychotherapy, psychiatric care, or medical treatment. Participation in INT programs is always voluntary and educational in nature unless explicitly part of an approved research protocol.

Future Research Directions

INT intends to pursue research pathways that may include:

  • Pilot feasibility studies

  • Qualitative and mixed-methods research

  • Pre-registered observational studies

  • Collaboration with clinicians, psychologists, and academic researchers

  • Ethical exploration of non-dual awareness in therapeutic contexts

All future research efforts will follow appropriate ethical review processes and methodological transparency.

Commitment to Scientific Integrity

INT’s position is intentionally conservative. We believe that the credibility of nonduality-based approaches depends on intellectual honesty, methodological care, and humility in the face of complexity.

Nonduality has profound philosophical and experiential implications. Whether and how these insights translate into therapeutic benefit remains an open and important question—one that INT seeks to explore responsibly, without premature conclusions.