Purpose of the Article
The purpose that the article serves is to insinuate the idea that applying mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga and Qigong to training counselors increases the importance of self-care during their training and apply the concepts after the training. This encompasses opportunities for both students and professionals for personal growth. There is a notion of burnout and stress among professional and student counselors and it is an issue that the academic environment failed to address. Therefore, the article addresses the importance of keeping the mind at its perfect condition through alternative programs in order for counselors to become more effective in their clinical work.
Important Information In the Article
The important information found in the article is the difference between being mindfulness in terms of states of relaxation and relaxation training. Often that a person perceive mindfulness as being in the state of relaxation, but the integration of such into a program that encompasses clinical effectiveness draws the difference between the two. In addition, it was mentioned that MBSR program where more than 10,000medical patients participated was found to be beneficial in improving a variety of medical conditions. Other important information found in the article is the number of ways that mindfulness practice can transform counseling trainees to become less conducive to stress stimulus encountered during patient interactions.
The Main Conclusion
Based on the study conducted to test the effectiveness of MBSR practices, if was found from participants report that the program has significantly improved their personal and professional lives. In addition, the program proposed by the study was perceived to be rigorous, relevant and high quality, which adds up to the interest of the participants to continue with the program. A number of students have also reported that engaging in mindfulness program promotes greater awareness of their consciousness and as a result, the students are able to control their emotional stress when dealing with clients and becomes more sensitive to the client’s condition.
Key Concepts
The program described in the article encompasses the concept of contemplative practices, wherein the participants are asked to keep a personal journal to keep track of the changes they perceived in their selves while taking the experimental program. The contemplative experience through the course practices should enable the students to reflect on their experience and realize the underlying concepts to pursue the therapeutic process.
The Main View and Concepts
It was mentioned earlier that the key concept of the article is to integrate mindfulness practices into counselor training programs. The findings from the study supports the idea that the course designed for MBSR training program increases the capacity of students to create positive outcomes in terms of personal functioning. Furthermore, the program is supposed to influence student abilities to improve within the clinical environment by having a sound state of mind. The problem with the current academic curricula is the lack of similar programs that encompasses the same object. As a result, the students become vulnerable to stress and easily affected by the client’s emotions. This reduces the clinician’s capacity to carefully assess client situation and therefore, would possibly lead to ineffective clinical practices. The objectives of taking up Yoga classes for instance promotes peaceful mind and well-being, and the study believes in the same principles and integrates it to training to be part of important clinical practices.
Practical Concept Applications
This concept can be applied to everyday living in all sorts of situations. For example, law enforcers often experience agitation from the law offenders they encounter everyday. The amount of agitation when accumulated results to the same amount of stress those clinicians is exposed to in their profession. As stress burns out law enforcers, they become more susceptible to clouded judgment that affects their decision-making process particularly in critical life and death situations. In terms of everyday living, getting into similar programs will improve a housewife’s daily functioning at home. Mindfulness will enable them to do be more productive with their time. Working moms often experience stress from work and stress manifests in their behavior back at home affecting their relationship with their family members.
Final Thoughts
The article highlights alternative approach to training that benefits the clinicians to be in the long term. Training future counselors involve conditioning their mind to be less affected in a stress-conducive working environment. Dealing with clients that are emotionally and psychologically severed by trauma creates an atmosphere that is likely to affect even the clinicians themselves. Counselors for instance are obliged to listen and to connect with their clients, but remain emotionally detached to keep the relationship professional. However, stress is something that is inevitable in people particularly when they are constantly exposed to it. Integrating mindfulness practices such as yoga and Qigong into training prepares student to the kind of environment they will face as clinicians and counselors. The article encompasses the importance of having clear state of mind in performing clinical practices and putting that concept at the onset of the training to ensure personal growth.
