The Influence of Compassion Meditation on the Psychotherapist’s Empathy and Clinical Practice: A Phenomenological Analysis
Journal of Humanistic Psychology January 1, 2025 Marc Bibeau, Frédérick Dionne, Anaïs Riera et al.
Psychotherapists who already practiced mindfulness meditation reported that additional compassion meditation training further enhanced their empathy and clinical work. Three therapists completed a 4-week compassion meditation program and were interviewed before, after, and one month later. Analysis revealed four areas of perceived influence: their relationship with themselves, their experience of empathy, the therapeutic relationship, and integrating change. Participants also noted challenges with the practices. The findings support including compassion meditation in psychotherapy training and burnout prevention.