In April of 2013 the psychology department of Trinity Christian College hosted it's annual conference. The conference, entitled Psychology Renewed, focused on the concept of mindfulness. The following post reflects one of the presentations at the conference.
I have been
involved in the study of mindfulness, particularly mindfulness meditation, for
many years as part of my yoga training and teaching. I came to this study after experiencing the following
quotation from Eastern mindfulness practices on my journey: “Imagine that every person in the world
is enlightened but you. They are
all your teachers, each doing just the right things to help you learn patience,
perfect wisdom, and perfect compassion.”
This quote is attached to the computer in my home office. As I read this quote on a daily basis,
I am humbled and encouraged to move forward and bring mindfulness to every
thought and action.
My
colleagues and I shared some insights into mindfulness at our recent Psychology
Renewed Conference during the spring semester at Trinity Christian College. My part was to reflect upon the major
research findings of an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program,
one at Montana State University and the other at the University of
Massachusetts. I thought
that this information was timely, since I was involved in this particular
program for a second time.
The
program began at The Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and
Society at the University Of Massachusetts Medical School, dedicated to
furthering the practice and integration of mindfulness in the lives of
individuals, institutions, and in society through a wide range of clinical,
research, education, and outreach initiatives in the public and private
sector. According to the program’s
founder, Jon Kabat-Zinn, since its inception in 1970, more than 18,000 people
have completed the program at the University and learned how to use their
innate resources and abilities to respond more effectively to stress, pain, and
illness.
Based
on the Kabat-Zinn model, Montana State University incorporated this program
into their graduate program in counseling, arguing that few counseling programs
directly address the importance of self-care in reducing stress and burnout in
their curricula. A course entitled
“Mind/Body Medicine and the Art of Self-Care” was created to address
personal/professional growth opportunities through self-care and mindfulness
practices, including meditation, yoga, etc. Most students reported intentions of integrating mindfulness
practices into their future professions.
The
research findings at both universities noted some important information. Researchers have been evaluating MBSR
(Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) as a tool for helping university students
cope with stress and have discovered decreased levels of depression. Other researchers found similar
reductions in state and trait anxiety, and increased scores on measures of
spiritual experience and empathy in the program. Researchers also discovered an increased quality of life due
to program participation.
Based
on this information and others, I enrolled in an eight-week mindfulness course
for the second time. I discovered
what a student from Montana State noted, “I suppose it is the experience of
connectedness that has affected my thoughts and questions about healing most
significantly. Contemplation
remains at the center of my life and I continue to realize that every person in
the world is my teacher, each doing the right things to help me learn patience,
wisdom, and compassion.”
References
Baker,
E.K. (2003). Caring for ourselves: A therapist's guide to
personal and professional well-being, Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
Bickley,
J. (1998). Care for the caregiver: The art of self-care. Seminars
in Perioperative Nursing, 7, 114-121.
Kabat-Zinn,
J., Lipworth, I., & Burney, R. (1985). The clinical use of mindfulness
meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral
Medicine, 8, 163-190.
Lawson,
K., & Horneffer, K., (2002). Roots and Wings: A pilot of a
mind-body-spirit program. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 20,
250-263.
Roth,
B., & Robbins, D. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and
health-related quality of life: Findings from a bilingual inner-city
patient population. Psychosomatic Medicine, 66, 113 - 123.
Schure, M., Christopher, J.C., &
Christopher, S.E. (2006). Mind/body medicine and the art of self-care:
Teaching mindfulness to counseling students through yoga, meditation and qi
gong. Journal of Counseling & Development.
Shapiro, S., Shapiro, D., & Schwartz, G. (2000). Stress management
in medical education: A review of the literature. Academic Medicine,
75, 748 - 759.
Mary Lynn Colosimo, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Trinity
Christian College