Dr. Russell Kolts

Russell L. Kolts is a clinical psychologist and professor at Eastern Washington University outside of Spokane, WA. Dr. Kolts completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Mississippi in 1999. He is the author of The Compassionate Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger, Living with an Open Heart: How to Cultivate Compassion in Everyday Life (with Thubten Chodron), and, with Dennis Tirch & Laura Silberstein, the forthcoming Buddhist Psychology and CBT: A Practitioners Guide. Dr. Kolts regularly conducts trainings and workshops on Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), as well as on mindfulness and compassion practices. His professional interests lie primarily in the application of CFT and mindfulness approaches to individuals suffering from problematic anger, trauma, mood, and attachment-related difficulties. Kolts has published and presented research in diverse areas such as positive psychology, PTSD, psychopharmacology, mindfulness, and compassion. In his personal life, Dr. Kolts enjoys family time, reading, meditation, outdoor activities, and listening to and playing music.

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Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2022

Living in compassion

A psychologist's approach to cultivating compassion and managing emotions.

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Dr. Russell Kolts teaching in front of the Buddha in Chenrezig Hall.
Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2019

Exploring compassion

Dr. Russell Kolts discusses how compassion helps us work through difficulties in our own life…

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Dr. Kolts and Venerable Lamsel smiling.
Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2018

Helping others feel safe through compassion

Dr. Russel Kolts on the meaning of compassion and building a compassionate culture for people…

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Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2017

Defining compassion and self-compassion

Dr. Russel Kolts shares his insights on the meaning of compassion and how it can…

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Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2016

Compassion-focused therapy

Dr. Russell Kolts from Eastern Washington University shares on how he brings compassion into his…

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Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2015

Meeting ourselves with compassion

Dr. Russell Kolts shares on his path towards the practice of compassion, and how psychology…

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