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Abstract

The current study presents a qualitative exploration into the personal and professional experiences of having a long term, daily practice of informal mindfulness for third wave therapists. The humanistic, pluralistic and phenomenological focus of this study aims to appeal specifically to counselling psychologists who practice mindfulness in their own personal and professional lives.

The participants included ten third wave therapists who delivered Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) as their main therapeutic approach. These therapists identified that they practiced informal mindfulness several times a day during various life activities and that it was their main form of mindfulness practice.

Thematic analysis of the semi-structured interview transcripts produced six themes across the data set. Overall it was found that the long term, daily practice of informal mindfulness produced several beneficial as well as some challenging experiences for third wave therapists across their personal and professional lives. Certain factors appeared to mediate these experiences including the therapists’ current engagement in formal meditation, the specific third wave therapy delivered and also spiritual affiliations with mindfulness. These findings posed a number of significant implications for professional practice as well as avenues for future research into informal mindfulness practice.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Psychology Doctoral Theses School of Health & Psychological Sciences > School of Health & Psychological Sciences Doctoral Theses

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