Counsellors' experiences of the use of mindfulness in the treatment of depression and anxiety: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Issue 1 (29th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCabe, Rebecca; Day, Elizabeth
• Is Part Of: Counselling and psychotherapy research. Volume 22:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2021-05-29
• Subjects: anxiety -- clinical intervention -- counsellor experience -- depression -- interpretative phenomenological analysis -- mindfulness practice; Counseling -- Periodicals; Psychotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.891405
• DOI: 10.1002/capr.12428
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-3145

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The current study explores counsellors' experiences of their integration of mindfulness into the treatment of their clients for depression and anxiety. Method: Five counsellors participated in semi‐structured interviews, which were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify how the use of mindfulness in therapy was experienced and understood by participants. Results: The analysis produced six themes: the benefits of mindfulness for clients, the client's role in the success of mindfulness, the integrity of practice, using mindfulness in therapy, mindfulness techniques and the responsibility of a mindfulness practitioner. A description of these themes and related subordinate themes is presented, with analysis of the findings in relation to the literature. Recommendations: Practice implications include that present‐moment awareness is the cornerstone of mindfulness and that this can be practised and taught; that a counsellor's establishment of a personal mindfulness practice significantly supports their effective integration of mindfulness interventions in the clinical space; and that a client's sustained practice of mindfulness beyond the clinical space is indicative of a reduction of the frequency and intensity of depressive and anxious symptomology. The level of a counsellor's training and experience in mindfulness is found to be an important factor in the effectiveness of the use of mindfulness as a clinical intervention. This supports a case at policy level for the uptake of a mindfulness competencies framework for counselling trainees—including minimum duration of personal practice—in the service of greater consistency and accountability in the delivery of mindfulness techniques in the clinical space.