Integrating Mindfulness With Experiential Therapy

Mindfulness practices, rooted in their original traditions and medical systems, support healing and recovery. Integrating mindfulness into Experiential Therapy is beneficial because both approaches view problems as opportunities for growth and emphasize learning through experience to navigate life's challenges. This combination is especially well-suited for working with trauma survivors.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract This chapter shares how mindfulness honors the traditions, cultures, and systems of medicine from which it arises. Research evidence is presented of how mindfulness practices support healing and recovery for clients. The benefits of integrating mindfulness practices into Experiential Therapy are explored. Mindfulness approaches take the stance that “problems are viewed as opportunities for growth” and encourage clients to understand problems as part of life, that life will always bring challenges, and the goal is to learn how to navigate them (Lee et al., 2009, p. 312). This stance pairs well with Experiential Therapy, which has the goal of learning through experience and applying that learning to the next challenges one will face. Particular importance is placed on how mindfulness practices and Experiential Therapy are a good fit for working with survivors of trauma.