The Power of Mindfulness

Strong (2019) described contemplative psychotherapy as a combination of the use of the clinician being mindful, Buddhist teachings, as well as counseling skills.Clients can be educated on the benefits of mind body approaches such as mindfulness. For example, contemplative psychotherapy integrates mindfulness and there are a myriad of benefits that can be conveyed to the client.sFor example, .Contemplative psychotherapy explored through the lens of Buddhism and mindfulness awareness can be viewed as a way the therapist is able to more effectively help the client change cognitive distortions, psychological distress or other negative patterns. The researcher noted that sitting meditation also has the potential to help the psychotherapist to decrease a sense of self-centeredness, become more flexible, and more in tune with themselves as well as others especially in the present moment as well as to become less reactive. There is an aspect of sitting meditation that is instrumental and calms the mind and emotions and engenders insight. The researcher intended that the mindfulness awareness practice within contemplative psychotherapy can also be interpreted as a path towards developing genuineness., self-awareness, as well as encouraging kindness. These aspects of contemplative psychotherapy are useful for clients in order to promote similar qualities in the clients experience through the avenues of modeling, relating, and teaching the patients mindfulness awareness practices as well. Contemplative psychotherapy supports patients in fostering behaviors that are healthier in nature rather than exploring their problems. The behaviors that the therapist works on are physical, emotional, and cognitive in nature. The contemplative psychotherapist also encourages the patients to explore their daily activities in order to be able to practice mindfulness and awareness around these daily activities. These activities might include exercise or sports, cooking and so forth. Whatever activity that will connect the patient to what is happening in the present moment are activities that can be explored in which mindfulness practice can be brought in. Other interventions include helping the client with what the researcher termed unconscious automatic behavior such as smoking or compulsive behavior. Whatever behavior causes the patient's attention to go to an activity which is mindless and nature is addressed. Seigel and Solomon (2020) discussed the benefits of meditation as contributing to neuroplasticity. Clients gather intrinsic motivation when they learn about how mind-body approaches can improve their lives.

References

Siegel, D. J., & Solomon, M. F. (Eds.). (2020). Mind, consciousness, and well-being.

Strong, S. D. (2019). Contemplative psychotherapy: Clinician mindfulness, Buddhist psychology, and the therapeutic common factors. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration.