[Sakos]

A lot of times, you simply can't solve the source of stress or it takes a lot of time before you're able to. How do I solve having cancer or any other health issue? Like most things in life, it's not something that's solvable overnight. Why not reduce the emotional/psychological suffering you feel before you can actually solve the problem? In fact, that reduction in emotional distress can help you find better solutions to whatever problems you're dealing with. I don't see any downsides unless for some reason you think meditation is supposed to be the solution to life's problems, when it's just a method for handling your inner life.

[ajb]

Coping skills are great, but there is definitely a danger of psychological professionals assuming that changes are not possible and they should just train people to cope. I've literally had a psychologist apologise for spending several months doing that to me, because he didn't realize that I had the resources, and let's be blunt - money - to make greater changes to my life than he expected.