Mindful Happiness

Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

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Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Trauma

Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Trauma

In line with the thousands of studies now available supporting the use of mindfulness-based interventions in depression, anxiety, chronic pain and addictions (via emotion regulation and interoception), this post will review recommended mindfulness interventions for trauma and PTSD. The post will note information from two recent books on this topic. Also recognize that meta-analytic research in 2004, 2010, and 2014 have found that mindfulness-based interventions improve depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and emotion regulation. These are common conditions co-occurring with addictions and trauma. Such interventions may be carried out as part of various Western therapies: cognitive, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, dialectical-behavioral, and even psychodynamic.

Follette, Briere and others (2015, 2018) note the many benefits of using mindfulness-based skills as part of trauma therapy. Here is their summary. Mindfulness interventions when implemented by a mindfulness practitioner:

  1. Improves compassion, self-compassion, and radical acceptance;
  2. Improves the negative effects of deprivation, oppression, loss, and harm;
  3. Enhance contemplative responses;
  4. Integrates trauma-informed care with yoga and meditation;
  5. Clarifies emotion mind from reasonable mind;
  6. Empowers personal embodiment and being with one’s conditions;
  7. Expands loving kindness;
  8. Enables effective use of RAIN skills;
  9. Softens harsh, self-critical views of self;
  10. Reduces over-identification with traumatic experiences;
  11. Softens anger and blame;
  12. Brings people to the present – leaving “stuckness” in the past;
  13. Reduces apprehensions about the future;
  14. Strengthens meta-cognitive awareness of thoughts and images as triggers;
  15. Improved emotion regulation – less reactivity and impulsivity;
  16. Teaches breathing retraining for vagal and para-sympathetic activation;
  17. Teaches thoughts and emotions are only thoughts and emotions – not the self;
  18. Improves one’s sense of well-being and happiness; and,
  19. Often enhances self-esteem and empowerment.

Davis (2016) adds the following mindfulness-based effects:

  1. Improves balance in mind-body-heart (soul;);
  2. Empowers better stress reduction practices;
  3. Reduces the personal struggle to control cognitions, emotions, and behaviors;
  4. Enhances one’s observational capacities to just be present and “see” via mindful abiding;
  5. Allows people to recognize experience and life as pleasant, neutral/boring, and unpleasant as norms; and,
  6. Enhances the ability to be grounded when triggered.

For more information refer to Follette, V. M. , Briere, J. et.al. (2015, 2018). Mindfulness-Oriented Interventions for Trauma: Integrating Contemplative Practices. New York: Guilford Publications. See also Davis, L. (2016). Meditations for Healing Trauma. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton SanghaChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

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New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

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PTSD – The How and Why Mindfulness and Meditation

PTSD – The How and Why of Mindfulness and Meditation

Many recent research studies have been published on the benefits of mindfulness skills and meditation practice for various clinical conditions.  Common interventions with these practices are used to improve anxiety, chronic pain, depression, depression relapse, addictions, addictions relapse, eating problems, and trauma. Since the year 2000 there has been growing and convincing evidence on uses of mindfulness and meditation in treatment of traumatic experiences.  To name the most popular: MBSR, DBT, MBCT, MBRP, ACT. Although The American Psychological Association’s expert panel on treatment guidelines for PTSD has NOT included mindfulness and meditation as a recommended intervention (at least they did not state any opposition), those of us who practice meditation or yoga on our own and use these skills in our therapy KNOW they can be effective in improving various traumatic experiences. Some proponents of CBT include mindfulness skills in their therapy. Here are the reasons why mindfulness and meditation may be helpful:

  1. To develop solid grounding in therapy;
  2. To reconnect with a softer, more caring heart in the process;
  3. To learn and use calming and equanimity skills;
  4. To improve self-compassion;
  5. To cultivate better inner peace;
  6. To practice good self-care via loving kindness meditation;
  7. To rediscover your stronger true self under all the pain and suffering;
  8. To build skills that allow you to connect with suffering and remain an integrated person;
  9. To master choiceless awareness in the midst of your pain; and,
  10. To build good coping skills that can be used free-of-charge for the rest of your life.

Additionally, learned and regularly used mindfulness and meditation practices provide the following possible benefits:

  1. To respond effectively to stress reactivity;
  2. To slowly radically accept moment-to-moment experiences – even if unpleasant;
  3. To open the doorway to do work with your own body;
  4. To take steps in the integration of body-heart-mind processes;
  5. To learn how to befriend intrusive, painful memories;
  6. To reduce your arousal level;
  7. To learn to reduce avoidance behavior to escape psychological and physical pain;
  8. To Learn how to balance your emotional and rational minds;
  9. To learn curiosity and friendliness skills in the face of painful experiences;
  10. To learn various breathing techniques to anchor your awareness and your body; and,
  11. To, ultimately, achieve a level of equanimity in your recovery.

For more information refer to Davis, L. (2016). Meditation for Healing Trauma: Mindfulness Skills to Ease Post-Traumatic Stress…Oakland, CA: New Harbinger, pp. 1-36. Dr. Davis is a clinical psychologist working in the Veterans Administration and teaching at the Indiana University School of Medicine. She is an expert in using CBT and MBSR in therapy.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!