Exploring the Perspectives of Psychologists Who Use Mindfulness in Therapeutic Practice

Abstract

Objective

The current study aimed to understand how psychologists define, integrate, and evaluate mindfulness interventions.

Method

The sample comprised 10 currently registered psychologists with an average of more than 14 years experience. They were aged between 29 and 52 years (M = 45 years, SD = 6.93 years) and seven respondents were women. Participants completed an individual semi‐structured interview.

Results

A thematic analysis identified that participants held pragmatic and secular views of mindfulness and used an eclectic approach when integrating mindfulness into their therapeutic practice. They identified a desire for more depth of understanding and integrative frameworks for implementing mindfulness into practice. Participants used brief mindfulness exercises consistent with the therapies they were already using rather than more extended meditation practice. A phenomenon was identified where the psychologists appeared to experience a sense of guilt about not using meditation or extensively using mindfulness exercises themselves. They promoted the use of mindfulness via mobile apps, yet also paradoxically identified technology and apps as sources of stress. They also expressed reticence in applying mindfulness‐based interventions for certain presentations. In spite of these issues, mindfulness was infrequently explored in supervision.

Conclusions

These preliminary findings have important implications for the theoretical understanding and integration of mindfulness with other therapies, and the training and supervision of psychologists using mindfulness‐based approaches.

Key words:

• intervention
• mindfulness
• psychologist
• qualitative
• therapeutic practice
• treatment