Transcript Document

Mental Health Therapists’
Perspectives on the Meaning of
Mindfulness
Sandra Kavanagh & Jean Morrissey
School of Nursing & Midwifery
Trinity College Dublin
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Background of Study
Literature Review on Mindfulness
Key Findings
Implications for Future Practice
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MSc Study
Descriptive Qualitative Study
Ethical Approval Granted
Semi-Structured Interview
Process/Thematic Content Analysis Approach
10 Participants – Accredited /pre-accredited
Counsellor/Psychotherapists
Supervisor – Ms Jean Morrissey
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The Original Definition of Mindfulness is based
on the premise of compassionate awareness by
intentionally paying attention to present
moment experiences and acceptance of those
experiences without judgement
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‘Keeping one’s consciousness alive to
present reality…… paying attention in
a particular way on purpose in the
present moment and non –
judgementally’. (Kabat-Zinn 2012, p. 4, 11)
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‘The self regulation of attention towards
present moment experience accompanied
by a curious open and accepting stance’.
(Langdon et al. 2011, p. 270)
The traditional philosophy behind mindfulness
practice is in creating an
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Inner calmness
Quieting the mind of any distraction
Freeing the body of any tension or stress
To understand the principles behind mindfulness,
cultivate mindfulness and develop the capacity to
live life in harmony with acceptance, love
compassion and clarity requires developing a set
of skills through different types of mindfulness
practice
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‘maintaining awareness of the
sensations in your body, the flow of
thoughts through your mind, the sounds
and sights in your surroundings, thus
mindfulness is awareness expanded into
ourselves and outward into the world’
(McQuaid & Cameron 2004 p. 12)
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Formal – Mindful of ones mental state and
daily activities in the moment
Informal – Breathing Techniques, Sitting
Meditation, The Body Scan, Movement
Awareness
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Breathing Technique - foundation for the
practice of meditation - awareness of the breath
is the means of developing the ability to
concentrate and relax into a deeper state of
conscious awareness
Sitting and Lying Meditation- allow more
ability to develop insight and awareness to
where one is in a particular moment.
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To truly understand mindfulness requires
more than just acquiring the skills and
knowledge.
Compared to other yogic and other mediative
traditions mindfulness is unique in that it
requires experience through ongoing personal
engagement in the practice. (Kabat-Zinn 2011)
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Originates from Eastern Buddhist Psychology
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Considered a Pathway to Enlightenment
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To help one become free of all sufferings
brought on from unhealthy attachments,
desires, cravings , hatred and ignorance (Sach
2007)
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A new way of thinking doing and seeing (KabatZinn 2011)
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The spread of Buddhist Psychology in
particular, mindfulness principles and practices
have now moved from its place of origin in
northern India and has been embraced by
western cultures
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Inspired by Eastern Buddhist Psychology modern
Buddhism in particular , the practice of mindfulness
has seen a surge of interest within western mental
health services. (McWilliams 2012)
Empirical studies show promising results on the
clinical benefits of mindfulness applied to clinical
practice (Cheisa 2012)
Resulting in medical science and modern psychology
integrating Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBI)
with a range of people suffering debilitation medical
conditions and mental health problems (Keng et al. 2011)
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Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)- (Kabat –
Zinn 1990)
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Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT) - (Linehan, 1993)
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Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) -(Hayes et al.
1999)
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Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy(MBCT) -(Segal et
al. 2002)
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Mindfulness Based Relationship Enhancement Therapy
(MBRET) (Carson et al. 2004)
Mindfulness Action Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
16 week group programme combining cognitive with
co-existing substance misuse (SUD) and binge eating
disorders (BED). (Courbasson et al. (2011)
Mindfulness Based Awareness (MBA), youth specific
programme. (Hemelstein et al. 2012)
Used to promote well being for people with a range of
physical conditions and mental health problems
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Chronic Pain
Attention Deficit Hyper Activity (ADHD)
Clinical Depression
Anxiety (GAD)
Stress (PTSD)
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Addiction (SUD)
Eating Disorders (BED)
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Self Care (Shapiro et al. 2007)
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Improved Therapeutic Alliance (Crane et al. 2010)
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Improved Therapeutic Outcomes (Brady et al. 2012)
Reduction in Medication Use (Paulik et al. 2010)
 Reduction in Relapse (Bien & Bien 2002)
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 Increase
2012)
in Accepting Attitudes (Hemelstein et al.
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Mental Health Therapists’ Understanding of
Mindfulness
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Integrating Mindfulness to Clinical Practice
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Developing and Learning Mindfulness
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Being Aware
Being Relaxed
A Way of Being in the Present Moment
A Way of Getting Back in Touch With Oneself
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My view of mindfulness is being aware
of what's around being aware of
yourself, being aware of sounds, being
aware of what is going around you and
also being aware of your body (P7)
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My understanding of mindfulness I suppose is
basically being in the present moment and
calming the spirit. (P5)
Mindfulness is distinct its more I mean mindfulness
is you can do it without religion. (P10)
It would be mindfulness but maybe faith it’s hard to
distinguish between the two I kind of have the two
interwoven. (P3)
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I just have a hard time people calling it a therapeutic
approach where to me it’s not a therapeutic
approach it’s a technique that can be used in
therapy. (P4)
It’s a tool to help you to enjoy the journey (P9)
I perceive mindfulness as a therapeutic practice I
just cant see how it really is a therapeutic tool. (P1)
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Works Well Through All Therapies
Numerous Therapeutic Benefits
Works Predominantly Well With Children,
Adolescents and Adults
Works Well With an Accumulation of Mental
Health Problems
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I have somebody who has not so much
emotional difficulties but behavioural
difficulties ADHD compulsions things like
that anger management I have found that it
can be difficult to try and get them to calm or
to accept the fact that what you are trying to
do is to just ground them. (P8)
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Meditation is kind of looked on
sometimes especially by some guys as
being a soft kind of approach it’s silly
kind of thing…. And meditation is not
going to do anything. (P8)
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I probably wasn’t a candidate for a
course like that straight away you know
it could make me weepy at times…. Its
brought me into spaces that weren't
easiest for me (P9)
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Ongoing professional development/ Necessary
Non – Engagement in the Practice/Busyiness
Different Styles of Training/Causing
Confusion
Limited Available Courses
Training V Practice/Commitment
Competency /Acceptable Levels of Training
Monitoring/Evaluation
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I think from the way its started from were mindfulness
started and where it is today in 2012 lets say I think it
has been changed a lot it has been shaped a lot and also
it has been changed to suit a lot of things. (P7)
Its just you know very much in the west we’re very
much about a product we’re very much about creating a
product and what we tend to do is in creating that
product we tend to lose an essences of what it is and I
feel its has become very commercialised. (P1)
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I don’t think mindfulness is understood I
know I have my bit of understanding of it I
know people are getting more becoming more
aware of what it might be (P2)
I feel I could learn more techniques (P1)
I suppose learning more about the concept I
would love (P7)
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Small Sample Size
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Similar Backgrounds
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One Location
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Transcripts Not Reviewed
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Anxiety Performance
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In depth insight into real experiences
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Opportunity to reflect & elaborate
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Reduced Mixed Interpretations
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Researcher highly skilled in interviewing
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Certified Standardised MBI Training Programs
Supervision with Qualified Mindfulness
Supervisor
Mediation Rooms for Therapists
Re-fresher Courses
Regulated Standards of Teacher Training
Regulated Standards of Knowledge /Skills/
Experiential Learning
Regulated Standards of Monitoring &
Evaluating Clinical Performance.
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‘Mindfulness is the miracle that can call back
in a flash our dispersed mind and restore it to
wholeness so that we can live each minute of
life… When you enter deeply into the present
moment you see the nature of reality and this
insight liberates you from suffering and
confusion’
-------- Thich Nhat Hanh