This week's focus is on the ideal of mindfulness, and as the Time cover above shows, it is a major idea that has woven/and is weaving into social work practice. Briefly share your thoughts on the article AND, then consider when mindfulness may or may not be the best intervention/fit with your clients.
As a social work student I found these two articles extremely informative and important. Many of us will be dealing with trauma in our places of work and even in our personal lives. I think it's so important to be aware of how trauma in our work can be carried over into our bodies and mind. We aren't even aware that this is happening and it can cause many side effects including feeling isolated, overworked and powerless. I had never even heard of secondary trauma before reading this article and I agree that it's a serious issue that needs to be addressed. As Berceli states, it's important that we learn the tools that will help us lessen the long term impact of traumatic experiences.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really like about practicing mindfulness is that it's something that each of us can do on our own. I have been doing yoga for about 8 years and I'm familiar with the breathing techniques as well as the body scan. Just learning how to breath and bringing the mind back to the present can have many positive effects.
I don't think we should underestimate the impact that trauma can have on us in the field of social work. I think practicing mindfulness is a very important skill that we need to add to our toolbox in order to take care of ourselves and our clients.
The articles this week on mindfulness were extremely intriguing and applicable to my future practice as a social worker. Mindfulness had been a term that was challenging for me to fully grasp until I worked with people suffering from trauma, specifically PTSD. It is a tool that I witnessed and found to be helpful for both the client and myself. With that said, it can be extremely challenging at times to stay present and requires a significant amount of practice for many people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the articles that practicing mindfulness can be a great tool for our patients/clients. In addition, it can also be a significant helpful tool for social workers to utilize in order to cope with trauma related stories on a daily basis to prevent secondary trauma. I like how the Berceli and Napoli (2006) article opened up this idea of utilizing mindfulness to any profession that witnesses and assesses trauma on a daily basis such police officers, EMT’s, nurses, etc. The concept of this mindfulness-based trauma prevention program sounds like it would be an effective way for social workers and other health professions to learn effective ways to reduce secondary trauma.
I found these readings really interesting because I have been reading an entire book on Trauma Stewardship for my elective Intimate Partner Violence. The book is based on the same ideas of mindfulness - that professionals working with trauma need to establish a regular practice and routine of being mindful so as not to absorb the trauma around you. I have been lectured on self-care for years with my work at SHARPP and mindfulness has been a large part of that. I really appreciated that there were specific exercises and examples in these readings rather than just talking vaguely about the concept and its usefulness. I think being mindful that can benefit everyone in their daily lives. I think for me, the biggest take away from a practice of mindfulness is the aspect of acceptance. I frequently finding myself wishing I was "over it" or wanting to feel a different way, but just reminding myself that I am feeling the way I am for a reason and validating that is immensely helpful and something I plan on making a more conscious effort to do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I was shocked that the DSM has historically considered Neurogenic Tremors as a symptom of panic and anxiety disorders given the research showing that it is a natural response to a traumatic event. Very interesting!
I think that the concept of mindfulness is one that can be very beneficial to social workers. I think it could be used with a variety of clients. It could be used with clients going through some kind of trauma or PTSD as one of the articles suggested, and also in working with individuals experiencing high levels of anxiety or ADHD. I also think mindfulness is important for social workers to use themselves as a way to tune in to their own feelings, thoughts, and stresses. As Turner (2009) stated, many social workers may feel that they cannot find the time for mindfulness in their practice. However, I think finding the time to practice it regularly could help improve relations with clients. It is very difficult to pause and take a moment to notice our breathing and bodies, but both articles recommended several ways to take a quick three to five minute pause that could provide clarity to difficult situations. I try to fit mindfulness into my daily routine, being aware of how I interact with others, checking in with myself on why I am feeling a certain way, or letting go of the stress. This addition to my routine has helped in many ways. I have found that I am able to relax quicker and I am often able to make educated assessments rather than snap judgments. Although I have been working on being more mindful for many years, it is still challenging to bring it to the forefront when life is overly stressful. It is a work in progress, being mindful, but it is one that I believe is important work.
ReplyDeleteI think that mindfulness is a great tool that may work for many clients, especially those struggling with anxiety disorders or PTSD, as others have mentioned. However, I think it really depends on the individual client, and their willingness to try mindfulness practices and to engage in them in an ongoing fashion. That takes a great deal of discipline.
ReplyDeleteI have tried practicing mindfulness before and I have found it extremely challenging. It can be difficult to find the time for it, and to remember to do it. I also found it very hard to stay present. This likely means that I need to practice it MORE often, but I took it as a sign that I ought to quit. Haha.
Like I said, I think that it is a matter of individual preference. It might be worth introducing the idea with certain clients and seeing where they take it from there.
ReplyDeleteThese two articles were great reads. I found myself thinking of all the times I have tried to implement mindfulness with myself and my clients over my internship time. Many of my clients are dealing with chronic poverty , that will really never be alleviated. They adapt because they have to . I have found that introducing mindfulness to clients like this is helpful . Although we may not be able to fix their chronic poverty , we can teach them ways of centering themselves and taking time for themselves to reflect. It is important to reflect on the things that are good in your life even if thee are not many. With myself I find it hard to be in the moment. Being mindful or taking time to meditate always helps be stay in the moment , and every time after I always feel much better .
Both articles related to Mindfulness were very informative. The article about trauma and secondary, or vicarious trauma, was very interesting and I liked how the article mentioned burnout as a term that was used in the past to describe secondary trauma. The idea that if an individual attempts to suppress thoughts or feelings, the emotions related would have a higher occurrence is very interesting. It seems almost obvious, but it is a technique used by both clients and clinicians often, in order to get through the day. I'm glad that the development in technology related to neuroscience has allowed for more scientific proof about the positive effects of mindfulness practice. I believe that it is effective and I have read articles about the positive outcomes of practicing. That being said, it is something that I struggle to do consistently. The field of social work requires an element of self-care and mindfulness is an amazing way to practice self-care. The other article talks about how mindfulness practice can help a clinician to be more empathetic and aware in therapy sessions. I am hoping to practice mindfulness more often in my life. I am also hoping to teach my clients about mindfulness in a lecture and give them some tools to incorporate it into their recovery process.
ReplyDeleteI found these articles very relevant as a social work student. The first article (Turner, 2008), was compelling in that using a technique which has been in existence for over 2,500 is just as important today as it was then. The article pointed out one of the most obvious benefits of using mindfulness in a therapeutic setting is that it doesn't cost anything. Whereas to complete paperwork and get referrals involves a lot of time and expense. Using mindfulness as a therapeutic tool among other traditional tools could only serve to enhance a clients treatment.
ReplyDeleteIn the second article, (Berceli & Napoli, 2006) the authors discussed using mindfulness training for treating complex trauma, PTSD and direct/vicarious trauma. The authors point out the therapeutic benefits of mindfulness when it is used by clinicians and other health professionals who work with trauma victims on a regular basis.
The benefits of mindfulness are directly aligned with all of the attributes of a healthy social worker, ie. increased empathy, being in the present moment, attunement, affect regulation.
I've recently begun using a 2 minute mindfulness/meditation exercise at the beginning of sessions when working with a family. I've found this to be helpful in that it helps to quiet the inner dialogue and sort of "frames" the group and sets the tone for the rest of the session.
Turner (2009) tells of a great anecdote about working with a man named Tom. The author’s use of mindfulness allowed himself to listen to Tom without judging him and created a space for him to just listen and understand the situation. In turn, this practice allowed Tom to open up and exhibit his own form of mindfulness about his feelings and what was happening in his own life. This was truly an inspirational story.
ReplyDeleteThe practice of Buddhist meditation and mindfulness has been popping up all over the country and has been used throughout many forms of recovery. I currently belong to a group called the Dharma Punx which is a recovery based Buddhist practice. This practice began with a group of reformed convicts in California who found meditation and mindfulness could help them stay sober. Mindfulness helps me a great deal and could potentially help clients I work with. Turner (2009) does state that mindfulness does not work for everybody. I must make sure that people I work with are will to play an active part in their recovery before I entertain the thought of practicing