Research & Evidence

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. Nonduality-based practices arise from ancient contemplative traditions, while their systematic application within modern clinical and therapeutic contexts remains an emerging field of study.

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

Current State of the Evidence

At present, Nonduality-Based Therapies (NDT)—including Nonduality-Based Stress Reduction (NDSR), Nonduality-Based Cognitive Therapy (NDCT), and Nonduality-Based Relapse Prevention (NDRP)—should be understood as emerging, exploratory, and pre-clinical frameworks, not as established evidence-based treatments.

There are no large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) currently validating nonduality-based interventions as standalone clinical therapies. INT does not claim otherwise.

However, a substantial and growing body of peer-reviewed research supports many of the foundational mechanisms that nonduality-based approaches draw upon, including:

  • Mindfulness-based interventions and stress reduction programs
  • Metacognitive awareness and decentering processes
  • Reduced self-referential processing and self-transcendent experience
  • Psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and well-being outcomes associated with contemplative practice
  • Neuroscience and neurophenomenological research on 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 that places non-dual awareness at the center of training rather than treating it as a secondary or advanced outcome.

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 and acceptance-based interventions
  • Contemplative neuroscience and phenomenological psychology

While many established approaches include moments of decentering or self-transcendence, nonduality-based frameworks explicitly orient training around the recognition and stabilization of non-dual awareness itself.

Status of INT Programs

Nonduality-Based Stress Reduction (NDSR)

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

Current activities include:

  • Curriculum development and refinement
  • Feasibility and safety considerations
  • Informal pilot offerings and observational feedback
  • Preparation for future structured research

NDSR may be offered to the general public as a contemplative education and well-being program, with clear disclaimers distinguishing it from clinical treatment.

Nonduality-Based Cognitive Therapy (NDCT)

NDCT is a conceptual and developmental framework exploring how non-dual awareness may interact with cognitive processes such as identification, belief fixation, and self-narrative.

NDCT is not currently positioned as a standalone therapeutic intervention and is intended for:

  • Research exploration
  • Professional preview by clinicians and researchers
  • Future structured investigation under appropriate oversight

Any clinical application of NDCT concepts is expected to occur within the scope of licensed practice and established ethical guidelines.

Nonduality-Based Relapse Prevention (NDRP)

NDRP is an early-stage, exploratory model examining how non-dual awareness may relate to craving, identity contraction, and relapse-related cognitive patterns.

NDRP is pre-clinical and not validated as a relapse-prevention treatment. Current work focuses on:

  • Theoretical development
  • Conceptual mapping to existing relapse-prevention models
  • Ethical risk awareness and boundary setting
  • Preparation for future qualitative or pilot research

NDRP is not a substitute for substance-use treatment, psychotherapy, or medical care.

Guidance for Clinicians and Researchers

INT welcomes dialogue and collaboration with licensed clinicians, psychologists, therapists, and academic researchers who are interested in contemplative science and non-dual frameworks.

Important clarifications:

  • INT programs are not clinical treatments unless explicitly part of an approved research protocol.
  • Any professional use of NDSR, NDCT, or NDRP concepts must remain within the practitioner’s licensed scope of practice.
  • INT does not credential, certify, or authorize clinical use at this time.

Professionals may engage with INT materials for educational, theoretical, or research-development purposes, with transparency regarding current evidence limitations.

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, unknowns, and risks
  • Respect for both scientific rigor and contemplative depth

INT does not present its programs as replacements for psychotherapy, psychiatric care, addiction treatment, or medical intervention. Participation in INT programs is voluntary and educational unless explicitly part of an approved research study.

Future Research Directions

INT intends to pursue responsible research pathways that may include:

  • Pilot feasibility studies
  • Qualitative and mixed-methods research
  • Pre-registered observational studies
  • Collaboration with clinicians, researchers, and academic institutions
  • Ethical examination of non-dual awareness in therapeutic and recovery 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 the long-term credibility of nonduality-based approaches depends on intellectual honesty, methodological care, and humility in the face of complexity.

Nonduality carries profound philosophical and experiential implications. Whether—and how—these insights translate into measurable therapeutic benefit remains an open and important question. INT is committed to exploring that question responsibly, without premature conclusions or inflated claims.