Upcoming Seminars and Events

When a group of individuals becomes a ‘we,’ a harmonious whole, they have reached as high as humans can reach.” — Albert Einstein

2022

Dr. Zuniga is writing a newspaper column entitled Zen for Daily Living on the intersections of Zen, mindfulness and current events, which is published in newspapers such as the Austin American-Statesman, Westlake Picayune, and the Lake Travis View. His column is based on his work in clinical psychology, end-of-life care, and Zen Buddhism.

ALL EVENTS ARE CENTRAL STANDARD TIME UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Some Weekly Therapy and Mindfulness Groups:

Building Bridges: Weekly Therapy Groups for Living with Advanced Chronic Illnesses, Tuesdays, 10-11:20AM & Wednesdays, 11:30AM-12:50PM (CST). Dr. Zuniga is leading two therapeutic groups for patients and caregivers facing the unique challenges and opportunities of an advanced illness. These weekly therapy groups will provide a supportive, confidential, and non-judgmental setting where clients are able to freely explore their thoughts and emotions about topics such as treatment decision-making, advance directives, and living fully with an advanced chronic illness. Feel free to contact Dr. Zuniga to see if spaces are available in either group. Funding may be free for some cancer patients and caregivers to cancer patients via the Flatwater Foundation ask Dr. Zuniga for details. A downloadable flier with details is here. Group therapy is both similar and different to support groups, to get a feel for what group therapy is like you can read the Group Expectations Contract.

Talks, Workshops, and Events:

2022

Sunday, January 9, 2022, 9:30AM—10:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Making Sense of Suffering" for the Adult Sunday School class at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas. This talk will draw upon both psychology and Zen Buddhism. This event is free, online, and open to the public. For details, please visit the St. Andrew's website. A handout for the talk can be downloaded here.

Friday, January 14, 2022, 12 Noon to 2PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed for the NextQuest Podcast sponsored by Mr. Noah Garcia of Next Quest Counseling in Austin, Texas. This podcast is free and available to the public. The goal of the podcast is “to help those looking for a therapist to find the right fit in working with a therapist. Each show features an interview with an Austin area therapist on their practice and specialty.”  an interview with an Austin area therapist on their practice and specialty.” This episode is available on all major podcast providers including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, Google Podcasts, Pandora, TuneIn, Stitcher, and I Heart Radio. It can also be found here on YouTube.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 11AM to 12 Noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Penny DeCou, LCSW of Texas Oncology in Austin, Texas. This event is entitled "Discovering Hope" and is based on Dr. Zuniga's work in clinical psychology and providing spiritually integrative counseling. This discussion is sponsored by the Texas Oncology Foundation and is geared towards patients, caregivers, and cancer survivors. It will also be archived online, for more information please visit the Texas Oncology Foundation website.

Sunday, January 23, 2022, 9:30AM to 10:30AM (CST): in his role as a Zen priest Dr. Zuniga will co-lead with Rev. Dr. Jim Rigby a free, online discussion about revered Zen Master and Noble Peace Laureate Nominee Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh who has just recently died. His work promoting peace, diversity, and inclusivity is more important now than ever. This online conversation about him is hosted by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Adult Sunday School. Please share and I hope to see you there. Details are here.

Monday, March 7, 2022, 11AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Living Fully Amidst the Fear of a Recurrence" for the Texas Oncology Foundation. This talk is part of their 3-Week Survive and Thrive Virtual Experience which creates a space for patients to take a deeper dive into the emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of cancer. Dr. Zuniga will provide an interdisciplinary presentation on cultivating psychological flexibility and wellness related to the unique perspective of surviving cancer. While not minimizing the challenges that having and surviving cancer presents, we will draw on practical, research-based strategies to cultivate wellness and psychological flourishing. A free, downloadable flier with details is here.

Friday, March 11, 2022, 10AM—11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed on Beyond the Ribbon, a podcast provided by the Cancer Survivorship Center, Amarillo, Texas. I was interviewed on how to find hope as a cancer survivor during the pandemic and recent current events. This podcast is available to anyone on iTunes and Spotify and can be heard on Apple Podcasts here.

Friday, March 25, 2022, 10:45AM—11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled Cultivating Acceptance and Flexibility Amidst Uncertain Times. National Center for Education Research and Technology's (NCERT) Spring Executive Leadership Summit. San Antonio, Texas. Registration is required. A downloadable flier is here.

Tuesday, April 26, 2022: Dr. Zuniga, in his capacity as both a clinical psychologist and Zen Buddhist monk, was interviewed for author and psychologist Dr. Mike Brooks' podcast The Reasonably Good Life. The episode interviewing me is entitled "Psychotherapy and Living Skillfully." You can listen for free here. This episode is also available on many major podcast providers including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music/Audible,

Sunday, July 31, 2022, 8:15AM—8PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga, in his capacity as a Zen monk, will lead four Zen-related events at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas. He will lead an in-person service at 8:15AM. At 9:30AM he will provide a talk for the Adult Sunday School class, which will be online and in-person. At 11AM he will lead an in-person and online service at 11AM. And at 7PM he will lead an online event entitled Partners in Preaching where we will discuss and explore the sermons I provided earlier in the day. My sermons and the adult Sunday School will be based on the Heart Sutra of Buddhism and 1 Timothy 3:14-16. A video of my 11AM dharma talk/sermon can be found here.

Friday, August 12, 2022, 10-11AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the social work department of Hospice Austin on mindfulness and self-care.

Sunday, August 14, 2022, 5:30-7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga, in his role as a Zen monk, will be an officiant in the annual Austin Pride Interfaith Service. All are invited to this local Pride interfaith information fair and service to be in community with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ friends and allies. This service will be held at upRising Austin (formerly MCC Austin), 8601 South 1st Street, Austin, Texas, 78748. This event is free, in-person and live-streamed on Facebook. Doors open at 4:30pm for the informational fair. No tickets required; masks are required. More information is also on this free flier.

Saturday, October 1, 2022, 1-12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas, as part of their Vision and Voice series of events. More information soon.

2021

Friday, February 5, 2021, 9:30AM—10:40AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Western adaptations of Buddhism" for the University of Texas at Austin's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) as part of a series entitled "What Is Buddhism? The Philosophy, History, and Practices of Buddhism.” The UT OLLI FORUM "is a member-directed program comprised of members who enjoy lifelong learning on the UT Austin campus." This talk is my first of two talks for the Institute this month (see below). Other talks in this series will be provided by my colleague Dr. Melinda Rothouse. These talks will be recorded and can be seen later, and are only available to registered members of the OLLI FORUM.

Friday, February 12, 2021, 9:30AM—10:40AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Mindfulness meditation practice and what we know about its impact." This will be his second talk for the series "What Is Buddhism? The Philosophy, History, and Practices of Buddhism" for the UT OLLI FORUM of the University of Texas at Austin (see above).

Monday, March 8, 2021, 10AM—12 Noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Interfaith Spirituality and the Cultivation of Wellness" for the Texas Oncology Foundation's Survive and Thrive Symposium. The Texas Oncology Foundation is "dedicated to providing support to cancer patients in the communities where they live, work and receive treatment" and their Survive and Thrive Symposium “brings cancer patients and caregivers together with experts in the field.” Registration is required.

Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 6PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a guided meditation for the Texas Oncology Foundation's online Caregiver Support Group.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 12:30PM—1:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free CE talk on advance care planning for the staff of Austin State Hospital. This educational event is done in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT (Giving Instructions for Tomorrow) Project, and is made possible in part by a generous grant from the St. David's Foundation.

Saturday, May 8, 2021, 10:30AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak to the Ph.D. cohort of students in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University. This talk is focused on professional development for mental health clinicians and will explore establishing a private practice. Dr. Zuniga will also offer some personal thoughts on operating in dual roles of being a licensed psychologist and ordained minister, and being a psychologist during the pandemic. This talk is only open for Fielding Graduate University students and will be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thursday and Friday, July 29 and 30, 2021: Dr. Zuniga will co-present with Dr. Mike Brooks a workshop entitled Finding Greater Peace in a Chaotic World for the administrators of Eanes Independent School District. Educational leaders have been on the front lines of the many different challenges that our society has recently faced. These presentations will focus on developing and maintaining a sense of peace and equanimity, drawing upon the latest scientific research, wisdom traditions, and clinical experience to help educational leaders find a greater sense of peace in this often chaotic world.

August 12—14, 2021: Dr. Zuniga will co-present at the American Psychological Association's annual yearly convention. This program is entitled Religion and Social Justice: An Interfaith Dialogue, and is part of the programming provided by Division 36 of the APA Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. This academic conference is online and open to the public; registration is required. More information will be provided soon.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 2:30-3:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a CE grief presentation entitled "Care for the Caregivers: a CE Presentation on Caregiver Grief" for the Texas Nephrology Social Workers Association and in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT program.

Friday, October 1, 2021, 1PM—2:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on Buddhist-based forms of mindfulness for the University of Texas at Austin's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). The UT OLLI FORUM "is a member-directed program comprised of members who enjoy lifelong learning on the UT Austin campus." This talk will be different from my first two talks for the Institute that I provided earlier this year (see above). These talks will be recorded and can be seen later, and are only available to registered members of the OLLI FORUM. It has not yet been determined if this talk will be held in-person or at the Thompson Conference Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus or online due to the COVID-19 pandemic; more information soon.

Friday, October 22, 2021, 12:30PM—1:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a grief presentation entitled Care for the Caregivers: a Presentation on Caregiver Grief for the staff of the Kidney Transplant Center at St. David's North Austin Medical Center and in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT program.

Monday, November 1, 2021, 11AM—12 Noon CST: Dr. Zuniga and Katie Ozuna, LMSW will be interviewed live as a presentation session entitled Currents and Cross-Currents: Spirituality and Mental Health in the Cancer Community. We know cancer takes not only a physical, but a mental toll on us. Through an open dialogue with survivors and caregivers our speakers will help us explore the concept of spirituality, especially as it relates to the uniqueness of cancer journeys. This session will also include methods and tools for defining individual mental health and spirituality goals. This presentation is part of the Texas Oncology Foundation's Survive and Thrive online conference. The Texas Oncology Foundation is "dedicated to providing support to cancer patients in the communities where they live, work and receive treatment." Registration is required. A flier with some information can be downloaded for free here.

Thursday, November 4, 2021: Dr. Zuniga will co-present with Dr. Mike Brooks a workshop entitled Finding Greater Peace in a Chaotic World for the Suburban School Superintendents Conference which will be held in the Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale, Arizona. Educational leaders have been on the front lines of the many different challenges that our society has recently faced. These presentations will focus on developing and maintaining a sense of peace and equanimity, drawing upon the latest scientific research, wisdom traditions, and clinical experience to help educational leaders find a greater sense of peace in this often chaotic world. More information soon.

Thursday, November 18, 2021, 10—11:30AM CST: Dr. Zuniga will be a guest speaker for the Caregiver Connections Support Group sponsored by the Texas Oncology Foundation. I will be presenting on how to navigate holiday-related stress. This talk will be free, online, and open to the public.

Sundays, December 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2021, 11AM—12 Noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will read a traditional Buddhist passage as part of the 11AM weekly church service at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas. Services will be online or in-person depending on the pandemic. All services will be archived on St. Andrew's YouTube channel.

Wednesday, December 8, 2021, 1PM—2PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on grief related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the Meals on Wheels staff and their clients. This talk is part of Hospice Austin's GIFT program.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021, 7PM CST: Dr. Zuniga will be a guest speaker for the Caregiver Connections Support Group sponsored by the Texas Oncology Foundation. I will be presenting on the topic of gratefulness.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021, 7PM—8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking as a panelist for an event entitled Religion, Spirituality and Psychotherapy, sponsored by Harvard Alumni for Mental Health. More details soon.

2020

Thursday, January 16, 2020, 9:30AM—11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a two-hour CE presentation on end-of-life healthcare and decision-making at the Samaritan Center in Austin, Texas. This educational event is entitled "Supporting Educated Choices Toward End-of-Life-Decisions" and specific topics will include hospice, palliative care, advance directives, artificial life sustaining treatment, and advance care planning. CE hours for Registered Nurses and Social Workers will be provided, which may be appropriate for other healthcare license holders. While this talk is geared towards professional psychotherapists it is also open to the public. This educational event is done in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT (Giving Instructions for Tomorrow) Project, and is made possible in part by a generous grant from the St. David's Foundation. Free breakfast is provided, and registration is required. A free downloadable flier to share with more details is here.

Monday, March 2, 2020, 5:00/6:00—8:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist after the screening of the PBS documentary Being Mortal-and What Matters in the End, which is based on the best-selling book of the same name by Atul Gawande MD. The film will be followed by a panel, of which I will be a part, and focuses on the culture of healthcare and end-of-life decision-making. Food and drinks are part of the admission. Seating is limited and this will likely sell out. This event is sponsored by Hospice Austin. Reservation is highly recommended. See attached flier for registration contact.

Saturday, March 7, 2020, 3:05—3:50PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "The Person in the Arena: Living Fully Amidst the Fear of a Recurrence" for the Texas Oncology Foundation in Austin, Texas. This will be a breakout session talk, and be part of the Survive and Thrive Symposium. Registration is required, this day-long conference is from 7:30AM to 4:00PM, and will be held at the Westin Austin at the Domain.

Monday, March 9, 2020, 5:30/6:00—8:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist after the screening of the PBS documentary Being Mortal-and What Matters in the End, which is based on the best-selling book of the same name by Atul Gawande, MD. The film will be followed by a panel, of which I will be a part, and focuses on the culture of healthcare and end-of-life decision-making. Food and and a non-alcoholic drink are part of the free registration. Seating is limited and this will likely fill to capacity quickly. This event is sponsored by Hospice Austin. Reservation is highly recommended. See attached flier for registration information. This will be held at the Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline Cinema. Doors open at 5:30PM, the documentary is at 6PM, and the panel discussion is at 7PM. 1.5 continuing education credit hours are available for social workers and nurses, and may also be applicable for other healthcare professionals.

Thursday, April 2, 2020, 12:00—1:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar for the Texas Oncology Foundation's Survive and Thrive Webinar series. The Survive and Thrive Webinar series focuses on survivorship skills and wellness issues for cancer survivors, loved ones, and caregivers. My webinar is entitled Stress and Coping during the COVID-19 Pandemic. You can register here, and also download and share this free flier.

Thursday, April 16, 2020, 6PM—7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed for a podcast and webinar entitled Learn how to Manage your Stress and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic by entrepreneur and investor Justin Brown. A Facebook invite is here.

Thursday, May 21, 2020, 7:30—8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar talk entitled A Zen Approach to Transforming Suffering and Cultivating Joy. This event is sponsored by Peace of Christ Church, in Round Rock, Texas, and will be held online and free of charge. This talk is the first in a series of free web-based, community events. A free, downloadable flier to share is here, and to register click here.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020, 12:00PM—1:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a continuing education webinar for the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) entitled Mindfulness practices for grieving during the COVID pandemic. A flier with a detailed description is here. Registration is required, and can be done here.

Monday, June 1, 2020, 1:30PM—2:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will facilitate a discussion on COVID-19 related stress and related concerns for the staff of AGE of Central Texas. This event is only open to the AGE community.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020, 11:30AM—12:30PM: Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar for the Texas Oncology Foundation's Survive and Thrive Webinar series. The Survive and Thrive Webinar series focuses on survivorship skills and wellness issues for cancer survivors, loved ones, and caregivers. My webinar is entitled Supporting Children in Times of Crisis. A free downloadable flier to share with details is here. You can register here.

Thursday, June 18, 2020, 10:00AM—11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on Spiritually Integrative Counseling at the Samaritan Center in Austin, Texas. More details soon. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic this event may be moved to an online forum.

Sunday, July 26, 2020, 11:15—12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Illuminating the 'Dark Night of the Soul': Finding Meaning and Purpose in Difficulty" at First Presbyterian Church Austin, as part of their Lively Discussion Classes. This talk will draw upon Dr. Zuniga's work in both psychology and comparative religion. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this event will be an online webinar; more information soon.

Sunday, July 26, 2020, 11:15—12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Illuminating the 'Dark Night of the Soul': Finding Meaning and Purpose in Difficulty" at First Presbyterian Church Austin, as part of their Lively Discussion Classes. This talk will draw upon Dr. Zuniga's work in both psychology and comparative religion. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this event will be an online webinar; more information soon.

Friday, August 14, 2020, 9AM—10:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a Continuing Education webinar entitled "Illuminating the 'Dark Night of the Soul': Finding Meaning and Purpose in Difficulty" for the Social Work Department of Hospice Austin.

Saturday, August 29, 2020, 1:15PM—2:45PM: Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist and offer his thoughts as a clinical psychologist and Zen Buddhist priest for an upcoming online retreat sponsored by The New Story Festival with Professors Amanda Masino and James Kraft of Huston-Tillotson University exploring the question: Whether or not the origins of humans in Africa, a common home, can promote environmental care? In a time where we can easily feel divided, this and upcoming related programs at Huston-Tillotson seek to find religious and spiritual expressions of our common biological and cultural heritage, drawing upon the work of sociology, philosophy and models of inclusive pluralism. This is sponsored by a generous grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. This event will be online and is open to the public. You can learn more and register here.

Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 7—8PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a webinar CE presentation on end-of-life healthcare and decision-making at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas. This educational event will include information on hospice, palliative care, advance directives, artificial life sustaining treatment, and advance care planning. CE hours for Registered Nurses and Social Workers will be provided, which may be appropriate for other healthcare license holders. This educational event is done in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT (Giving Instructions for Tomorrow) Project, and is made possible in part by a generous grant from the St. David's Foundation. This event will be online, is free and open to the public. A free downloadable flier with more information is here.

Thursday, October 15, 2020, 7-8:15PM CST: Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist representing Zen Buddhism in an interfaith dialogue sponsored by Huston-Tillotson University. This event will be moderated by Dr. James Kraft, a philosophy professor who researches cognitive dissonance in religion. We’ll respectfully explore our similarities and differences in religion with a goal of finding commonality and building community. Muna Hussaini (Islam), Jagannath Vedula (Hinduism), Rev. Daryl Horton (Christianity), and Rabbi Neil Blumofe (Judaism) will also be panelists. This event will take place online via Zoom and is open to the public. See the attached PDF for details or feel free to contact me via my website. This webinar was recorded and can be viewed online for free here.

Monday, November 2, 2020, 11AM-12 Noon CST: Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar for the Texas Oncology Foundation entitled "Interfaith Spirituality in the Dark Night of the Soul." My talk and related content I'm creating is part of a free four-week series of programs for cancer patients and caregivers. More details soon. You can register for my event, and the entire series here.

Thursday, November 5, 2020, 11AM-12 Noon CST: Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Natalie O'Roark, the Executive Director of the Texas Oncology Foundation, on interfaith spirituality. This interview is a companion piece related to the free webinar I'm providing for the Texas Oncology Foundation earlier in the same week entitled "Interfaith Spirituality in the Dark Night of the Soul." These events and related content I'm creating is part of a free four-week series of programs for cancer patients and caregivers. More details soon. You can register for my event, and the entire series here.

Monday, November 16, 2020, 10—11:20AM CST: Dr. Zuniga will provide a free talk entitled Caregiving and the Holidays: Stress Reducing Tips and Tools sponsored by AGE and the Area Agency on Aging on surviving the holidays for caregivers.This talk will include practical suggestions for caregiving during the holidays, as well as discuss mindfulness and other forms of meditation as forms of caregiver stress reduction. This talk will be online, free, and open to the public. Register for free here or call 512-600-9275 for more information.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020, 7—8PM CST: Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar CE presentation on end-of-life healthcare and decision-making in conjunction with Peace of Christ Church and the Metta Zen Center, in Austin, Texas. This educational event will include information on hospice, palliative care, advance directives, artificial life sustaining treatment, and advance care planning. CE hours for Registered Nurses and Social Workers will be provided, which may be appropriate for other healthcare license holders. This educational event is done in conjunction with Hospice Austin's GIFT (Giving Instructions for Tomorrow) Project, and is made possible in part by a generous grant from the St. David's Foundation. This event will be online, is free and open to the public. A flier with information, and to share, is here.

Thursday, November 19, 2020, 10—11AM CST: Dr. Zuniga will be a guest speaker for a new caregiver support group sponsored by the Texas Oncology Foundation. I will be presenting on how to navigate the holidays. This talk will be free, online, and open to the public. More details soon.

Tuesdays, December 1, 8, & 15, 2020, 7—8:30PM CST: Dr. Zuniga will co-teach a three-part series of weekly webinar classes on the intersections of Jazz and Zen Buddhism with Paul Klemperer professional bandleader, teacher, composer and writer. Session One: Mindfulness, we will discuss the power of being present and paying attention; Session Two: Attachments, we will examine what gets us stuck in habitual patterns; Session Three: Transformation, we will explore concepts such as happiness, gratitude, and purpose. The suggested price for three sessions is $75; sliding scale spots are available. 50% of the fees for these classes will help to pay for Zen teacher Carlene South’s cancer treatment and related medical bills. The other 50% of fees will support Paul Klemperer’s non-profit educational work in the community. A flier with detailed information, including if you have questions, and how to register is here.

2019

Talks, Workshops, and Events:

Thursday, February 7, 2019, 12—1PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the staff of Hospice Austin on working in an interfaith environment.

Thursday, May 2, 2019, 12—1PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the staff of Hospice Austin on mindfulness for end-of-life caregivers.

Saturday, May 11, 2019, 10:30AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak to the Ph.D. cohort of students in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University. This talk is on mindfulness and other forms of meditation in clinical work, discussing factors such as theoretical orientation, presenting concerns and psychopathology, contraindications, and clinician self-care. Dr. Zuniga will also offer some personal thoughts on establishing a private practice and operating in dual roles of being a licensed psychologist and ordained minister. This talk is only open for Fielding Graduate University students and will be held at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 2:50PM—4:20PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak on mindfulness and grief counseling to Dr. Jane Milman's graduate grief counseling class at St. Edward's University, in Austin, Texas. Dr. Milman is an active researcher, and you can learn about her work with Dr. Robert Neimeyer and their Transitions Team research project and her clinical faculty work at the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition.

Sunday, July 14, 2019, 8:15AM—9:15AM, and also 10:45AM—11:45AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide two Zen dharma talks / sermons at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, in Austin, Texas. These services are free and open to the public. A video of this can be found here, and a sound file is here.

Saturday, August 3, 2019, 3:30-4:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga,in conjunction with Hospice Austin, will provide a talk on end-of-life decision-making at Sun Dragon Martial Arts Studio. This talk will also discuss topics such as hospice and advance directives. This talk is free and open to the public, but registration is requirred. A free one hour continuing education certificate is available for social workers and nurses. Seating is limited. More information can be found at a Facebook event page, the Sun Dragon event page, or the specific registration link here.

Sunday, August 4, 2019, 4PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga, in his role as a Zen Buddhist priest, will participate in the annual Austin Pride Interfaith Service. For more information click here. This Pride Service will be held at Temple Beth Shalom. Please note, we have one new process for this year: to ensure the safety of all attendees, the Jewish Community Center is requiring all attendees to show proof of registration (there is no fee) at the security check-in at the gate. This means you will need to take a few minutes to register using the Eventbrite link, then print and place the ticket on the dashboard of your car to enter the JCC parking lot. A flier, which you can share and distribute, is here.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019, 12PM—1:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a continuing education webinar for the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) on mindfulness at the end-of-life and in the context of bereavement. We will also discuss when mindfulness is contraindicated and some of the cross-cultural implications of mindfulness. More details here. Registration is required and can be done here.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019, 6PM—7:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak at an interfaith panel on environmental cooperation in the AL Auditorium on the campus of Huston-Tillotson University. In a time where we can easily feel divided, this and upcoming related programs at Huston-Tillotson seek to find religions and spiritual expressions of our common biological and cultural heritage, drawing upon the work of sociology, philosophy and models of inclusive pluralism. This is sponsored by the Center for Religious Life of Huston-Tillotson University, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and Dr. James Kraft of Huston-Tillotson University. Information on the panelists, discussion questions etc is in a downloadable flier here. This event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, October 17, 2019, 12PM—1:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free webinar on grief and loss for oncology caregivers for the Texas Oncology Foundation. While exploring the unique forms of grief experienced by oncology caregivers, this webinar may also be relevant for cancer patients and professional medical and mental health caregivers. A downloadable flier with information and a registration link is here. A free resource handout for the talk can be downloaded for free here. A direct link the the registration page is here.

Monday, November 25, 2019, 10:30AM—11:45 (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on the intersections of Buddhism and mindfulness with ministry and psychology for Professor Eileen Flynn DeLao's class on journalism and religion at The University of Texas at Austin. This talk is only open to students in her School of Journalism class.

2018

Weekly Therapy and Mindfulness Groups:

Cultivating Mindfulness and Wellness for the Holidays, Mondays, November 19, — December 10, 2018, 6:30-8:30 PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a mindfulness workshop series for the general public entitled "Cultivating Wellness for the Holidays." Mindfulness is a research-based method for cultivating wellness and lowering stress. These four-week mindfulness courses will teach practical, meditation-based skills to cultivate insight and awareness. This weekly group is facilitated by Dr. Zuniga, and meets in his office; feel free to contact Dr. Zuniga to see if spaces are available. Funding may be free for some cancer patients and caregivers to cancer patients via the Flatwater Foundation—ask Dr. Zuniga for details. View/print flier for more information.

Building Bridges: Weekly Therapy Groups for Living with Advanced Chronic Illnesses, Tuesdays, 10-11:20AM & Wednesdays, 11:30AM-12:50PM (CST). Dr. Zuniga is leading two therapeutic groups for patients and caregivers facing the unique challenges and opportunities of an advanced illness. These weekly therapy groups will provide a supportive, confidential, and non-judgmental setting where clients are able to freely explore their thoughts and emotions about topics such as treatment decision-making, advance directives, and living fully with an advanced chronic illness. Feel free to contact Dr. Zuniga to see if spaces are available in either group. Funding may be free for some cancer patients and caregivers to cancer patients via the Flatwater Foundation—ask Dr. Zuniga for details. A downloadable flier with details is here. Group therapy is both similar and different to support groups, to get a feel for what group therapy is like you can read the Group Expectations Contract.

Talks, Workshops, and Events:

Saturday, February 10, 2018, 10AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free community education workshop entitled "Partnering with your Siblings to Better Care for your Parents." This event is sponsored by AGE of Central Texas and the Austin Senior Resource Alliance, and will be held at the Keller Williams Lake Travis Market Center. This free event is open to the community but preregistration is required. See more details on the event flier and press release. Dr. Zuniga was interviewed in the Austin American-Statesman about this event, the article can be read here.

Sunday, February 11, 2018, 10:30AM—12 Noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free talk on mindfulness-based practices for parenting to the parents of Mariposa Montessori in Austin, Texas. This talk is available only for families of the Mariposa school community. A downloadable flier is here.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 6:00PM—8:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a professional training for the staff of the Headwaters School on mindfulness for self-care. This talk is only available to the staff of the Headwaters community.

Monday, March 26, 2018, 12:00PM—2:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a CE workshop entitled "An Introduction to Mindfulness and Related Forms of Meditation for Clients and Clinicians." Dr. Zuniga will provide a professional development talk on mindfulness which will be explored from many angles: as a comprehensive system of meditation, a shorter targeted intervention, and a broader approach to a wide array of life challenges. The cultural origins of mindfulness will be discussed, as will its impact on both psychopathology and wellness. Mindfulness will also be compared to other mind/body interventions and relaxation techniques. Participants will also have the chance to do a brief, guided mindfulness exercise. Food and drinks will not be provided, but you may bring your own brown bag lunch. Although this is geared towards mental health clinicians who are already familiar with mindfulness, it is free and open to the wider public. Psychologist attendees will receive 2 Professional Development hours from the Texas Psychological Association (TPA). This talk is sponsored by the ApaCenter, and the APACenter is approved by TPA to offer professional development credits, which may also be applicable for other professionals in addition to psychologists. This event will be held at the Austin Public Library: Hampton Branch Oak Hill location, 5125 Convict Hill Rd., Austin, Texas 78749. Attendees can RSVP ahead of time, but it is not requirred, more information and to RSVP you can see this flier.

Saturday, April 7, 2018, 9AM—3PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a day-long seminar on mindfulness meditation and related mindfulness-based practices for teachers. This continuing education workshop will give both a conceptual overview of mindfulness, as well as offer practical, experiential exercises in mindfulness and related practices for Montessori teachers, both for their professional development and for teaching mindfulness to their students. Participants can register through the Houston Montessori Center. The event will be held at Waltrip High School in Houston, Texas, and will provide 5 hours of AMS Professional Development and Texas Educators CPE. For more information you can download and share this flier.

Saturday, April 14, 2018, 12:15PM—1PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free talk on mindfulness and parenting as part of the first ever Austin Independent School District Mindfulness Retreat. This retreat will be from 9AM to 1PM at the Baker Center in Austin, Texas. This event is free for AISD staff. For more information you can download and share this flier.

Thursday, May 3, 2018, 6:30—8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist for a free community dialogue on the role of religion and spirituality in the community, media, and in mental health. It will be held in the Round Rock Public Library. Doors open at 6:30PM, which includes free snacks and refreshments. The panel discussion, which includes questions from the audience, will be from 7-8:30PM. This event is sponsored by Peace of Christ Church, in Round Rock, Texas. Dr. Zuniga will speak on the intersections of religion and spirituality with mental health, Ms. Simone Talma Flowers of Interfaith Action of Central Texas, will address religion in the community, and Professor Eileen Flynn DeLaO will discuss religion in the media. To RSVP, which is not required, and to invite others click here, and for more information you can download this free flier.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018, 8:30—10:00AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on diversity in spiritual and religious systems as it relates to counseling to the Multicultural and Diversity Committee of the Dell Pediatric Research Institute and the Texas Child Study Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center. This talk will be for psychology doctoral interns, psychiatry residents, and the medical staff of Dell Children's Medical Center.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018, 6:30—8PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) as part of their After Breast Cancer (ABC) series of classes, described by the BCRC: "After Breast Cancer is a 6-week course focused on issues related to the survivorship phase of breast cancer. BCRC Navigators invite subject matter experts to share information on common concerns and discuss the different challenges that occur after treatment ends." I will be speaking on emotional health for 45-60 minutes with time also for Q&A. Pre-registration is necessary, please RSVP by contacting the BCRC.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018, 12—1PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the clinical and administrative staff of Hospice Austin on mindfulness meditation for self-care.

Saturday, September 8, 2018, 10:30—12 noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for the Neuropathy Alliance of Texas entitled " Meditation for Chronic Illness." This talk will be in the Parlor of Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church. The talk will be for 45-50 minutes, and then there will be 30 minutes of discussion/Q&A. This talk is free of charge. As the Neuropathy Alliance of Texas states, “Anyone affected by neuropathy is welcome: patients, caregivers, family and friends. We hope to see you there!”

Thursday, September 20, 2018, 7:00—9PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be a panelist for a free community dialogue entitled "Racism and the Dangers of Denial." The other two panelists include Police Chief Allen Banks, the Chief of Police for the Round Rock Police Department, and Lorna Hermosura, a program officer for the Georgetown Health Foundation. Doors open at 7PM, which includes free snacks and refreshments. The panel discussion, which includes questions from the audience, will be from 7:30-9PM. This event is sponsored by Peace of Christ Church, in Round Rock, Texas. It will be held in the Round Rock Public Library.For more information you can download this free flier.

Sunday, September 30, 2018, 7:40—8:40AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a keynote presentation entitled "The Health Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation" for the University of Texas College of Pharmacy's 66th Annual Pharmacy Practice Conference. This talk will differentiate mindfulness from other forms of meditation, and present some of the research behind mindfulness as a clinical intervention. It will also provide professional continuing education credits. As this is a professional, academic conference registration is required. This conference will be held at the DoubleTree North Hotel (512-454-3737,  6505 North IH-35 Austin, Texas 78752).

Monday, October 22, 2018, 1:30—3PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will reprise his talk for the Neuropathy Alliance of Texas entitled Meditation for Chronic Illness." This event will be held at the Dell Jewish Community Center. The talk will be for 45-50 minutes, and then there will be 30 minutes of discussion/Q&A. This talk is free of charge. As the Neuropathy Alliance of Texas states, “Anyone affected by neuropathy is welcome: patients, caregivers, family and friends. We hope to see you there!”

Friday, November 2, 2018, 12:00PM—2:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free CE workshop entitled "End of Life Planning and Conversations." This is a professional development talk on Medical Advance Care Planning as well as how to have these conversations with patients and family members. End-of-life concerns are common for both patients and caregivers. But talking about these concerns doesn’t have to be so daunting and can even be empowering. In this talk you’ll learn all about advance directives (such as the Medical Power of Attorney, Directive to Physicians, and Out-of-Hospital-Do-Not-Resuscitate Order), hospice, palliative care, and other important factors in healthcare decision-making. Although this is geared towards mental health clinicians it is free and open to the wider public. Psychologist attendees will receive 2 Professional Development hours from the Texas Psychological Association (TPA). This talk is also an approved curriculum for CEs for RNs and Social Workers through Hospice Austin. This talk is sponsored by the ApaCenter, and the APACenter is approved by TPA to offer professional development credits, which may also be applicable for other professionals in addition to psychologists. This event will be held at the Terrazas Branch of the Austin Public Library. Attendees must RSVP ahead of time due to CE credits and the free lunch. Spaces are limited. More information, address, and to RSVP click here.

Saturday, December 1, 2018, 10AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free community education workshop sponsored by AGE of Central Texas on mindfulness for caregivers during the holidays. This experiential workshop is entitled "Holiday Stress Reduction for Caregivers." A free, downloadable flier with information on location and other details is here.

2017

Monday, January 23, 2017, 6:30PM—8:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free talk for the general public entitled "Zen and Psychology: Allies in Reducing Stress and Improving Quality of Life." This talk is sponsored by the Friends of Integrative Medicine, which helps support the Integrative Medicine Department (where I am a faculty member) of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. A free downloadable PDF with directions and more information is available here. RSVP is required.

Thursday, March 2, 2017, 4:15PM—5:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a workshop on mindfulness and health psychology for the annual Integrative Medicine Conference for Healthcare Professionals sponsored by the Integrative Medicine Department of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This talk and workshop require advance registration and is open only to healthcare professionals.

Saturday, March 11, 2017, 4PM—5:15PM (PST): Dr. Zuniga will co-present at American Montessori Society Annual Conference, this year held in San Diego, California. This workshop is entitled "The Mindful Brain" and will discuss how mindfulness improves cognitive functioning and relates to Montessori education. As this is an academic conference, registration is required.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017, 4:00PM—5:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Mindfulness and Mindfulness-based Forms of Meditation in Clinical Work" sponsored by the Neuro-Oncology Department of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This talk is for healthcare professionals.

Friday, March 24, 2017, 2:30PM—3:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a workshop for the Annual Texas Psychology Intern Conference entitled "Mindfulness as Self-Care for Clinicians and Clients," this year sponsored by the Counseling Services Department at The University of Houston Clear-Lake in Houston, Texas. This workshop requires RSVP.

Thursday, March 30, 2017, 6:00PM—7:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will co-present for a talk entitled "Mindfulness and Parenting" for the parents of Kingwood Montessori Elementary School in Kingwood, Texas. This talk is open to parents of Kingwood Montessori.

Friday, March 31, 2017, 12:00PM—1:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will present a talk entitled "Mindfulness and Mindfulness-based forms of Meditation for Stress Reduction" sponsored by the Genitourinary Cancer Center of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This talk is for healthcare professionals.

Monday, June 19, 2017, 4:00PM—6:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a practical, two-hour workshop to support Montessori teacher trainees in developing their own personal mindfulness practice as a way to mindfully support their students in their Montessori classrooms. This workshop is open to registered teacher trainees of the Houston Montessori Center.

Monday, June 26, 2017, 1:00PM—2:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a practical, one-hour workshop on mindfulness and mindfulness-based forms of meditation for the Physical Therapy Department staff of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This talk is for healthcare professionals.

Saturday, August 5, 2017, 1:50PM—2:40PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled "Zen Meditation for Cancer Patients and Survivors" which will include an experiential exercise and Q&A. This talk is part of the annual Cancer Symposium sponsored by the Filipino Cancer Network of America -- Metropolitan Houston (FCNAMH), and is from 12Noon-4:30PM at the American First National Bank Building, located at 9999 Bellaire BLVD., Houston, Texas, 77036, in the top floor conference room. RSVP is required, a free downloadable flier with more information is here.

Thursday, September 21, 2017, 2:00—3:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed live by Rev. Chuck Freeman on Soul Talk Radio. You can live stream it here.

Thursday, September 28, 2017, 7:00—8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be representing Zen Buddhism for Part One of an interfaith panel dialogue sponsored by Peace of Christ Church. This free event will be at ArtSpace in Round Rock, Texas. More details, including bios of panelists, a flier, and information on the format here.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017, 6:30PM—8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be representing Zen Buddhism for an interfaith panel at Huston-Tillotson University entitled "We're all Interconnected: Building Bridges in Divisive Times." Dr. Zuniga is coordinating this with Dr. James Kraft, a professor of philosophy and religion at HTU. This event will be free and open to the public. More details including directions, parking information, a campus map, biographies of speakers etc here.

Monday, October 9, 2017, 6:00PM—7:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a free talk for the Texas Student Psychological Association at the University of Texas at Austin. He will be speaking about his career path of being a psychologist and how he integrates his training as a Zen Buddhist priest, mindfulness practice, and previous work as an interfaith chaplain in end-of-life care into his current clinical work.

Saturday, October 14, 2017, 11:30AM—12:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a practical, experiential workshop entitled "Mindfulness, Relaxation, and Hypnosis" at the 21st Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Supportive Care, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This conference is designed for palliative care and hospice physicians, oncologists, internal medicine physicians, family practice physicians, psychiatrists and/or anesthesiologists. Other interested professionals likely include hospice, nursing, psychology, chaplaincy, ethics, and sociology. A list of full speakers is here, and information on registration, hotels, directions etc is here.

Thursday, November 9, 2017, 11AM—12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on Zen and psychology for Professor Eileen Flynn's Journalism and Religion class at the University of Texas.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017, 7:00—8:30PM: Dr. Zuniga will be representing Zen Buddhism for Part Two of a free interfaith panel dialogue sponsored by Peace of Christ Church. Part Two of this series will focus on religious liberty and the separation of church and state. This event will be at ArtSpace in Round Rock, Texas. More details here.

Friday, November 17, 2017, 2:15PM—4:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga is chairing a presentation at the Texas Psychological Association’s 2017 Annual Convention, November 16-18 in Houston at the Westin Galleria. Dr. Zuniga's presentation is entitled: “Zen Mindfulness for End-of-Life Related Counseling." Registration is open and required, and a full copy of the program is here.

2016

Weekly Therapy Groups and Seminars:

Starting Tuesday, February 16, through Tuesday, March 22, 2016, 12:00-1:20PM (CST): Mindfulness Workshop Series: Cultivating Wellness and Stress Reduction. Mindfulness is a research-based method for cultivating wellness and lowering stress. This six-week mindfulness course will teach practical, meditation-based skills to cultivate insight and awareness. This weekly group is facilitated by Dr. Zuniga, and meets in his office; feel free to contact Dr. Zuniga to see if a space is available. Funding may be free for a cancer patient or caregiver to a cancer patient via the Flatwater Foundation—ask Dr. Zuniga for details. A downloadable flier is here. This series will be offered at different times and days throughout the year. Update: This group has filled, so I will be forming a new one. Details coming soon.

Starting Wednesday, May 4, through Wednesday, June 8, 2016, 6:30-8:00PM (CST): Mindfulness Workshop Series: Cultivating Wellness and Stress Reduction. Mindfulness is a research-based method for cultivating wellness and lowering stress. This six-week mindfulness course will teach practical, meditation-based skills to cultivate insight and awareness. This weekly group is facilitated by Dr. Zuniga, and meets in his office; feel free to contact Dr. Zuniga to see if a space is available. Funding may be free for a cancer patient or caregiver to a cancer patient via the Flatwater Foundation—ask Dr. Zuniga for details. A downloadable flier is here. This series will be offered at different times and days throughout the year. This group has filled, so I will be forming a new one. Details coming soon.

Talks, Workshops, and Events:

Thursday, January 21, 2016, 9:00--10:00AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on diversity in spiritual and religious systems as it relates to counseling to the Multicultural and Diversity Committee of the Texas Child Study Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016, 10:00--11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be providing a free talk to Texas Oncology’s patient and caregiver support groups on mindfulness and meditation. This will not be at the Texas Oncology site, but at the Cancer Connection/Care Communities location: One Highland Center, 314 East Highland Mall Boulevard, Austin, Texas, 78752. The location is on the first floor, right when you walk in the front entrance. There is plenty of parking available.

Saturday, March 5, 2016, 10:30AM—12 Noon (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on mindfulness-based practices for children to the parents of Mariposa Montessori in Austin, Texas. This talk is available only for families of the Mariposa school community. A downloadable flier is here.

Sunday, March 6, 2016, 11:25AM—12:30 & 1-2:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk to the teen group of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin. Then later the same day will provide a talk on mindfulness as it relates to spirituality and psychology for First Unitarian Universalist's Adult Sunday Seminar.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016, 6PM—7:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk for patients and staff of the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) at Texas Oncology (located at 6204 Balcones Drive, Austin, Texas, 78731). Dr. Zuniga's talk will be on emotional health and is part of the BCRC's After Breast Cancer Course. Some topics within Dr. Zuniga's talk will include stress, coping skills, communication, and dealing with trauma. As this talk is part of a special program for the BCRC, pre-registration is required. A flier is here.

Saturday, September 17, 2016, 9:30AM—11 (CST): Dr. Zuniga is the Keynote Speaker for the 3rd Annual Williamson County Caregiver Conference at the Williamson Conference Center at the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel (1209 Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Round Rock, TX 78664). Dr. Zuniga’s talk is entitled "The Middle Way of Caregiving: Caring for Ourselves and Our Loved Ones." This conference is sponsored by AGE of Central Texas. Registration is required, and registration is free and opens on August 5th.

Saturday, September 17, 2016: Dr. Zuniga will provide a one-hour experiential workshop on Zen Buddhist meditation, including both Zen meditation techniques and its related underlying philosophy. Dr. Zuniga’s talk will be part of a one-day contemplative spiritual retreat held at First Baptist Church and coordinated by Peace of Christ Church. Other traditions that will be providing presentations include Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. More details here, and a free, downloadable flier is here.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016: 6:30-8:30PM (CST) Dr. Zuniga will provide an introduction to Zen Buddhism talk for Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock. This talk will include some of Dr. Zuniga’s personal journey as a Zen Buddhist working as an interfaith chaplain and psychologist. This talk will be held at ArtSpace, an art gallery located in downtown Round Rock. The address for ArtSpace is 231 East Main Street, Suite 160 next to the Round Rock Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and across the street from the Round Rock Public Library. Doors open at 6:30, and the formal event will have light snacks and conversation and begin at 7PM. This is open to the public. A downloadable flier is here.

Friday, November 11, 2016, 9:15AM—11:15 (CST): Dr. Zuniga is chairing a presentation at the Texas Psychological Association’s 2016 Annual Convention, November 10-12 in Austin at the Westin Domain. Dr. Zuniga will be co-presenting a presentation entitled: “Buddhist principles and practices: Using mindfulness techniques in end-of-life and grief counseling.” Registration is open and required.

2015

Sunday, January 25, 2015, 9:30-10:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking with Rev. Dr. Jim Rigby at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. This event, "Seeds of Christianity and Zen in the Parable of the Sower" will have both Drs. Zuniga and Rigby reflecting on this seminal parable from Zen and Christian perspectives. This offering is the first in a series of free talks available to the public on Christian-Zen dialogue with these ministers in 2015.

Thursday, February 19, 2015, 7:00-9:00PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will engage in a dialogue with Pastor Tom Goodman, S haykh Mohamed-Umer Esmail, and Rabbi Amy B. Cohen entitled “Why am I here? Answers from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.” This dialoue will be moderated by Dr. James Kraft and Professor Eileen Flynn-DeLa0 in the King-Seabrook Chapel at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. This event is free and open to the public. More details.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 7-8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled “An Introduction to Zen Buddhism” for Grace Baptist Church in Round Rock. Dr. Zuniga will share some of his personal journey in Zen as well as give a brief introduction to Zen Buddhism. This talk will be held at ArtSpace, an art gallery located in downtown Round Rock. The address for ArtSpace is 231 East Main Street, Suite 160 next to the Round Rock Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and across the street from the Round Rock Public Library.

Friday, April 10, 2015, 4:45-6:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide an advanced presentation entitled "Becoming a Buddha: A Zen-Based Meditative Approach to Death" at ADEC’s 37th Annual Conference, April 8-11, in San Antonio, Texas. ADEC is the Association for Death Education and Counseling. ADEC is "an international, professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence and recognizing diversity in death education, care of the dying, grief counseling and research in thanatology." As this is an academic conference, registration is required.

Sunday, May 17, 2015: 9:40-10:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on “Zen Buddhism 101” for the Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church in Georgetown. This event is free, open to the public, and will be videotaped and shared on the web via Deily.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 6-8:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be participating in an interfaith panel sponsored by Grace Baptist Church; this will be held in the private meeting room of the Round Rock Public Library (in Meeting Room "C"). The official meeting time will be 6:00 to 7:00PM for the reception and 7:00 to 8:30PM for the panel itself. This event is free, open to the public, and will be videotaped and shared on the web via Deily.

Saturday, May 30, 2015, 9:00AM-12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a CEU workshop for professional mental health providers at the YWCA of Greater Austin (2015 South IH-35 Suite 110, 78741; north bound frontage road between Oltorf St. and Riverside Drive). This experiential workshop will give both a clinical conceptual overview of mindfulness, as well as offer practical, experiential exercises in mindfulness for clinicians and clients. Mindfulness related to counseling theoretical orientations (e.g. cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic-existential) will also be discussed. As this is a CEU workshop for professional clinicians registration is required.

Sunday, May 31, 2015, 9:30AM - 10:30AM and 10:30AM to 11:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on the intersections of religion, psychology and Buddhism at 9:30AM to the Adult Sunday School for Church of the Savior in Cedar Park. After this adult education program, Dr. Zuniga will then be a co-officiant with Rev. Mary Wilson for a Christian-Zen religious service beginning at 10:30AM. Both events are free and open to the public.

Thursday, August 6 – Sunday August, 9, 2015: Dr. Zuniga will chair a conference presentation entitled "Mindfulness, theory, and practice: Childhood through the end-of-life" at the American Psychological Association’s annual conference, held this year in Toronto, Canada. Drs. Luis F Morales Knight, Stephanie Mihalas, and Jonathan S. Kaplan will be co-presenting. Attendee registration opens April 15th, 2015. More details soon. As this is an academic conference, registration is required.

Sunday, September 13, 2015: Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on mindfulness for teenagers living with cancer at the Peaceable Kingdom Retreat for Children. This event is sponsored by the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center and the Texas Child Study Center.

Friday, September 25 - Sunday, September 27, 2015: Dr. Zuniga will be co-presenting with Ms. Sunni Zuniga of Mariposa Montessori Elementary School on teaching mindfulness to children at the Montessori in the Mountains Conference in Estes Park, Colorado. A flier for the conference is here. More details soon. As this is an academic conference, registration is required.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015: 6:30-8:30PM (CST) Dr. Zuniga will provide an introduction to Zen Buddhism talk for Grace Baptist Church in Round Rock. This talk will build on his previous talk for Grace Baptist from last spring, and will include some of Dr. Zuniga’s personal journey as a Zen Buddhist working as an interfaith chaplain and psychologist. This talk will be held at ArtSpace, an art gallery located in downtown Round Rock. The address for ArtSpace is 231 East Main Street, Suite 160 next to the Round Rock Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and across the street from the Round Rock Public Library. This event will begin with light snacks and conversation and is open to the public.

Sunday, October 11, 2015, 9:30-10:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking with Rev. Dr. Jim Rigby at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. We will have a Zen-Christian dialogue on The Heart Sutra. This event is a follow-up to our earlier talk entitled "Seeds of Christianity and Zen in the Parable of the Sower." This offering is the second in a series of free talks available to the public on Christian-Zen dialogue with these ministers in 2015.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015: Dr. Zuniga will provide two talks at the University of Houston Clear—Lake. From 1—3PM he will speak to the members of the UHCL doctoral internship program on integrating mindfulness into clinical settings. From 4—7PM Dr. Zuniga will speak to Professor Jason Boothe’s class on mindfulness and counseling.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 3:30--5PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on integrating mindfulness and Buddhist philosophy into grief counseling for Dr. Beth Pomeroy’s class on specialized grief populations in the University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Social Work. Dr. Zuniga will also share some of his personal perspectives on working as a psychologist and interfaith chaplain in end-of-life care.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 11AM—12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak to Professor Eileen Flynn DeLaO’s class on Journalism and Religion at the University of Texas at Austin, in the Belo Center for New Media. Dr. Zuniga’s talk will focus on his Zen ordination training, his work in end-of-life care, and the intersections of Zen and psychology. He will also provide a brief guided meditation. Professor Eileen Flynn DeLaO is a former religion reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, and in addition to her teaching at the University of Texas, is a freelance writer.

Saturday, November 21, 2015, 10:30AM—12 Noon: Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk on mindfulness for parenting to the parents of Mariposa Montessori in Austin, Texas. This talk is available only for families of the Mariposa school community.

Sunday, November 22, 2015: 10:30AM-12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide a talk entitled “Mindfulness in Everyday Life” for the Ethical Society of Austin. This event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 7PM (CST): As part of World AIDS Day, Dr. Zuniga will provide traditional Zen chanting in Korean as part of Austin's Annual Interfaith Service of Remembrance and Hope. This event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by The Care Communities and will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, in Austin. For a free, downloadable flier please click here.

2014

Thursday, May 22, 2014, 8PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Dr. Pauline Wallin for the American Psychological Association’s Division 42-Division of Psychologists In Independent Practice for a Virtual Learning Hour. The subject is “Helping clients who value religion and spirituality.” Continuing education credit is available for this event from the American Psychological Association.

Thursday, June 26, 2014, 6-7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Ms. Khotan Harmon on her award-winning radio show “Idea Lounge” on KOOP, 91.7FM in Austin, Texas. He will be discussing how to practice mindfulness, answer questions, and do a guided meditation. It's archived and available here.

Sunday, June 29, 2014, 7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will participate in a panel discussion at the Alamo Drafthouse Village, as part of the exclusive screening of the film Nothing Bad Can Happen. Nothing Bad Can Happen was an Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival.

Friday, July 11, 2014, 3PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Dr. Serena Wadhwa on spiritual wellness for her radio show, Moving Forward: Wellness One Step At a Time on VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Channel. This program will be available both live and archived via the web here.

Thursday, July 31, 2014, 6-7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be interviewed by Ms. Khotan Harmon on her award-winning radio show “Idea Lounge” on KOOP, 91.7FM in Austin, Texas. He will be part of a panel discussing fatherhood and spirituality.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014, 7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be reading from his manuscript for Wisdom Publications on Zen and end-of-life care entitled The First Step in Becoming a Buddha at The One Page Salon at Austin's Whip In. The One Page Salon is a monthly gathering of writers and creators sharing one page of a work-in-progress, hosted by Owen Egerton (author, The Book of Harold: The Illegitimate Son of God). Some podcasts of The One Page Salon are here.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be participating in the Austin Pride Interfaith Service at University Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. This service is sponsored by the Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation (AGLPF).

Wednesday, September 17 - Friday, 19, 2014: Dr. Zuniga will host Venerable Geshe Thupten Phelgye in Austin, Texas. In addition to being a Geshe (the highest level of monastic training in Tibetan Buddhism), he was a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile for 10 years. You can read about Geshe-la's last series of teachings in Austin here. You can learn more about Geshe-la's work and life via his website (and short and longer biographies). Detailed schedule.

Wednesday September 24 12-12:50PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will provide an experiential talk entitled "What is mindfulness?" This presentation will explore mindfulness and it's application to stress reduction and wellness. For further information, contact Dr. Charles Couchman at the St. Edward's Health & Counseling Center: [email protected]. This event is available only to the St. Ed's community; a downloadable poster is available with further details.

Sunday, October 5, 2014, 9:30AM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Buddhism, Dying and Grief in Austin, Texas.

Sunday, October 12, 2014, 2:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking briefly to the Central Texas chapter of IANDS (International Association of Near Death Studies) at the Ruiz Branch location of the Austin Public Library, located at 1600 Grove Blvd., Austin, TX 78741. This event is entitled “What Does Love Look Like?” and Dr. Zuniga will speak briefly on the topic of love in relation to the end-of-life. Dr. Zuniga will be the first of three speakers, other speakers include Dr. Amy Meeks (faculty at Texas State) and Ms. Ollie Giles.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014, 5:30-7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking to Texas Oncology’s Central Office support groups on mindfulness and meditation. A downloadable flier is here.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014, 2:30PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will be speaking on mindfulness and spirituality to Dr. Beth Pomeroy’s class on specialized grief populations in the University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Social Work.

Thursday, November 6, 2014, 6-7PM (CST) Dr. Zuniga will provide an "Ask the Expert" class for the LIVESTRONG Foundation entitled “It takes courage to ask for help: Men living with cancer.” This on-line dialogue will be free and have Dr. Zuniga answering questions live related to men and self-care during and after cancer treatment. Related free resources created by Dr. Zuniga will also be provided; registration is required.

Saturday, November 8, 2014, 10:30AM—12PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak to the Ph.D. cohort of students in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University. This talk is on spiritually integrative counseling and will be held at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014, 11AM—12:15PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will speak to Professor Eileen Flynn DeLaO’s class on Journalism and Religion at the University of Texas at Austin, in the Belo Center for New Media. Dr. Zuniga’s talk will focus on his Zen ordination training, his work in end-of-life care, and the intersections of Zen and psychotherapy. This talk is not open to the public. Professor Eileen Flynn DeLaO is a former religion reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, and in addition to her teaching at the University of Texas, is a freelance writer.

Monday, December 1, 2014, 7PM (CST): Dr. Zuniga will help officiate at the interfaith World AIDS Day Service in Austin, Texas, which will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. More details soon.