Tara Brach received a doctorate in clinical psychology from the Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. She wrote a dissertation analyzing how individuals with eating disorders can utilize meditation as a healing technique.

Tara Brach spent ten years living in an ashram -a yogic spiritual community- where she practiced and taught kundalini yoga and concentrative (breath and mantra) meditations. After being introduced to Buddhist meditation, she attended a number of silent vipassana retreats led by Joseph Goldstein and other senior teachers. She went on to participate in a five year Buddhist teacher training program under the guidance of Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Subsequently, she received training in Dzogchen from Tsoknyi Rinpoche and has incorporated elements of Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism into her daily practice and teaching.

Tara Brach has written numerous articles, and recorded numerous talks about the practical application of Buddhist meditation practices that are available through the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW), the Dharma Seed Tape Library and Sounds True. True Refuge, by Dr. Brach, will be available in 2011.

Tara Brach presently resides in Virginia with her husband, Jonathan Foust, who is also a noted yoga and meditation teacher.