Scott Cruse, MSW, LICSW
Scott's thirty years of experience as
a psychotherapist, combined with the knowledge he gained from his personal recovery and his years of Buddhist practice, have provided him
with a unique perspective and skill set. His teachers have included Jon Kabat–Zinn, Zindel Segal, Bill Wilson, and Thich Nhat Hanh.
Scott has taught the Mindfulness–Based Stress Reduction Program for more than ten years and subsequently has become interested in exploring
how mindfulness practices could also benefit people in recovery. Following his presentation on "Buddhism and the 12–steps" at the Minnesota
Psychological Association, Scott developed The Mindful Path In Recovery to meet the particular needs of recovering people.
Scott is currently teaching the Mindfulness–Based Stress Reduction Program at The Penny George Institute for Health and Healing. He also has a specialized psychotherapy practice for people who have life-threatening illnesses, or who are dealing with issues of grief and loss. As one of an emerging number of psychotherapists using mindfulness techniques as a clinical intervention, Scott has participated in four masters theses on psychotherapy and mindfulness. He provides clinical supervision for social workers and is a member of the Minnesota Society of Clinical Hypnosis. His community involvement has included serving on the board of the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, prison outreach through the Beverly White Outreach Project, and the HealthPartners Ethics Committee.