Saturday, May 30 · 11am – 1pm ET

You have probably heard that Zen is wonderful, meaningful, and other positive references.

But what is it, exactly, and how might it apply to your life?

This workshop is for people who want to find out.

* This webinar is held on Zoom. Registration is easy; a Zoom link is emailed after registering *

Zen Buddhism is one of the oldest and most practical wisdom traditions in human history — not a religion based on faith in the unknown, not a set of rules to follow, but a way of seeing clearly our wonderful life, even in the middle of the noise and changes of daily life.

The lotus flower, one of Buddhism's enduring symbols, grows from mud and through muddy water. And yet, it appears suddenly above the water and opens fresh and pure. We can do so, as well, in the midst of all our activities.

In this two-hour live workshop, David B. Alexander — a licensed psychotherapist who has practiced Zen for over 50 years — will walk you through the core teachings of Buddhism and what they actually mean for the way we live, think, and relate to ourselves and others. There will be a brief, accessible history of Buddhism — where it came from and how Zen emerged from it.

In this interactive webinar you'll start to explore:

• The Middle Way — the art of finding peace and fulfillment without rigid extremes or rigid ideas
• The Four Noble Truths — Buddhism's foundational insight into why we suffer, and the genuine possibility of moving past that
• Meditation — in two short practice intervals
• The Eightfold Path — a practical framework for living in a way that benefits yourself and everyone around you
• The Three Treasures — the supports that keep a practitioner grounded and moving forward in a healthy way

This isn't a philosophy lecture. It's a living conversation about how ancient wisdom applies to modern life — your relationships, your work, your inner world, your search for meaning. There will be space for questions and genuine dialogue throughout.

About David

David B. Alexander is a licensed psychotherapist who has practiced Zen since 1970 — studying with teachers at the New York Zen Center in the '70s and '80s, and more recently, active at Zen Mountain Monastery in Mt. Tremper, NY. He has been personally encouraged to offer public teachings by Enkyo Roshi (Pat O'Hara) of Village Zendo and Zen Master Wu Kwang (Richard Shrobe) of Chogye Zen Center.

He is also a 40+ year practitioner and teacher of Tai Chi Chuan, and a licensed psychotherapist whose clinical work draws on principles of gestalt therapy, existential therapy, and Nonviolent Communication.

When David teaches Zen, he isn't translating something he read. He is sharing something he has lived.

Psychotherapy sessions are available online across New York State, and in person in Roslyn Heights, NY. A free 15-minute consultation is available for those curious about individual or couples therapy. All inquiries are confidential.

Saturday, June 13 · 11am – 1pm ET

Our temperament and the influence of the family and social environments we grew up in, tend to stay with us.

And in turn, who we are helps shape the world around us.

Our inborn temperament and our early family life affect dramatically how we perceive and act in the world. This includes the way we handle differences or conflict; how we express affection and love; what is able to stimulate anger in us; and how we handle needing something from another person, whether it is love, respect, or getting a business report. We learn early on what is safe to say and what "has to" stay quiet.

* This webinar is held on Zoom. Registration is easy; a Zoom link is emailed after registering *

We carry all of it — into our relationships and marriages, our friendships, our workplaces, and ultimately, into the families we may build ourselves. We are all doing the best we can with what we were given. And most of us, at some point, find ourselves wanting to give something different that is better.

This workshop is for anyone who has ever thought seriously about what it means to be a conscious, healthy influence on the people in their lives, including children, and on society as a whole. We will explore how early experience shapes the way we see ourselves and respond to the world — and what becomes possible when we begin to understand that shaping.

We will look at what it actually means to model the values we want to pass on, especially in a time when the world outside our homes is sending so many competing messages. This includes answering one of the more pressing questions of this particular moment: when we encounter people — including people we love — who seem to have moved toward ideas we find harmful or confusing, what is the most skillful way to respond? Not the most reactive. The most skillful.

In this interactive webinar you'll explore:

• How our earliest experiences shape our habitual responses — and how unfolding awareness can change them
• What conscious influence actually on others looks like in practice,
• The difference between the values we hold and the values we model — and how to close that gap
• How to stay in genuine relationship with people whose worldviews feel foreign or even alarming
• Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a practical tool for the hardest family and social conversations

This is not a parenting technique workshop. It's something closer to the root — an exploration of how we became who we are, and how that understanding opens up more freedom in who we get to be for the people around us as adults.

About David

David B. Alexander is a licensed psychotherapist based in Roslyn Heights, NY, with a practice that draws on principles of gestalt therapy, existential therapy, and Nonviolent Communication, as well as drawing on decades of Zen Buddhist and Tai Chi Chuan practice and teaching.

He has guided individuals, couples, and leaders through the challenges that we all face in experiencing a better life despite what are felt as external setbacks or our own mental blocks. He brings to this work not just clinical expertise, but the kind of depth that only comes from a lifetime of practice and a life fully lived.

Psychotherapy sessions are available online across New York State, and in person in Roslyn Heights, NY. A free 15-minute consultation is available for those curious about individual or couples therapy. All inquiries are confidential.