Youth living in marginalized neighborhoods and the adults who support them experience a burden of high stress, including exposure to firearm violence, as a result of targeted structural violence. Multigenerational interventions that foster well-being are vital given the potential for caring adults to mitigate the effects of violence on youth. Guided by a trauma-informed, community-based...
As global crises deepen, there is growing recognition that social transformation requires not only structural change but also a shift in consciousness toward interconnection and collective care. Mindfulness-especially as rooted in cultural, spiritual, and justice-based traditions-offers a powerful pathway for both personal and societal transformation. In this introductory article to the special...
Mindfulness-based interventions that lack cultural resonance and fail to address liberation can fall short in supporting the well-being of communities impacted by social injustices. This study aimed to identify and illuminate how the lived experiences of two Black women psychologists informed the creation of mindfulness-based, emancipatory contemplative practice programs designed for Black and...
This study examines the coping mechanisms and resilience strategies of Arab-Bedouin in Israel, an ethnic minority facing systemic exclusion and sociocultural barriers. The research explores their lived experiences within a collectivist and conservative society, addressing the psychological impacts of marginalization and the potential of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a personal and...
Muslim mothers in Western nations encounter unique challenges, including Islamophobia, cultural stigma, social isolation, and the pressures of balancing family and societal responsibilities. Spiritually integrated mindfulness support groups can serve as a vital intervention to address these challenges, alleviate stress, and foster cultural revitalization and spiritual empowerment. This article...
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly used in clinical and community settings and show significant potential to address a broad range of physical and mental health outcomes. This potential has led to calls for ever greater implementation of MBIs internationally, particularly with vulnerable populations and in low-resource settings. However, the effectiveness of MBIs has not...
What is the role of contemplative practices in the movement toward a more "just" criminal legal system? Over the past 8 years, we have explored this question through parallel lines of research and practice with police officers and incarcerated individuals who, despite very different relationships to this system, are all traumatized by an unjust system that erodes the humanity of all those...
= 47; 62% lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or asexual; 23% Asian, 19% Black, 13% Hispanic/Latina/o, 32% White, 24% multiracial). Qualitative analysis identified three central themes: (1) the importance of a community of practice for creating a sense of belonging (including during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic); (2) the benefits of metta practice for cultivating...
Despite extensive research supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, the understanding of the dynamic connections between various mindfulness facets, particularly across diverse cultures, remained limited. This study aimed to investigate the networks among mindfulness aspects across different cultural backgrounds and their individual associations with mental health and...
Racism and race-related stress can negatively impact the mental health status of ethnic minorities. In recent years, college campuses have held demonstrations to promote awareness regarding racism and to call for resources to help improve campus climate and to address the needs of students of color. This study answers this call by developing and evaluating the benefits of a peer-led...
Persons who report "near-death experiences" (NDEs) acknowledge more intrusive symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than those who came close to death without NDEs, but not more avoidance symptoms, suggesting a nonspecific stress response. Although dissociation generally increases vulnerability to PTSD, the positive affect that distinguishes NDEs from other dissociative experiences...
This paper considers the generally consistent description of the common elements involved in near-death experiences (NDEs). It is suggested that the framework for studying a new psychiatric syndrome provides a context within which NDEs can be articulated both for research and for the practice of mental health professionals.