Nurturing Positive Mental Health: Mindfulness for Wellbeing in Counseling

Exploring the relationship between mindfulness and rock-climbing: a controlled study

Mindfulness is a meditative practice that has received increasing attention within positive psychology as an effective tool to increase wellbeing and decrease anxiety. Previous research has demonstrated that rock-climbers have a higher endorsement of mindfulness and life satisfaction than the general population; yet to date, no research has empirically explored the relationship between mindfulness and rock-climbing. In the current study fifty-nine participants ($$ \overline{\mathrm{x}} $$ x ¯ = 20.63, SD = 1.60) were asked to complete measures of mindfulness, wellbeing and anxiety before and after participating in an ‘intervention’. The intervention consisted of a mindfulness activity followed by either indoor bouldering (a form of rock-climbing) versus a physical activity control. A mixed ANOVA revealed that participation in bouldering increased the measure of mindfulness significantly more than the control activity; however, no significant group differences were found for the measures of wellbeing and anxiety. A regression analysis then revealed that group condition accounted for 33% of the variance in post-intervention mindfulness levels when controlling for baseline levels of mindfulness. This is the first study to experimentally demonstrate that engagement with rock-climbing increases mindfulness in young adults. Theoretically, the results have implications for our understanding of “flow” and optimal human experience. Practically, the study highlights the potential to implement rock-climbing as a resilience-building activity and integrate the sport within therapeutic frameworks.

Therapist mindfulness and subjective vitality: the role of psychological wellbeing and compassion satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Mindfulness and vitality are related constructs in the literature; however, mindfulness and vitality have not been fully examined in the literature, specifically with mental health therapists.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mindfulness and vitality among a sample of licensed mental health clinicians. Compassion satisfaction (CS) and psychological wellbeing are further explored as mechanisms by which a therapist may experience vitality and the impact mindfulness may have on these mechanisms.

METHODS

Mediation analyses were utilized to understand the relationship between mindfulness and vitality and the indirect paths of psychological wellbeing and CS.

RESULTS

Results indicate that therapists with greater mindfulness report more vitality, higher overall psychological wellbeing and higher CS. As expected, the relationship between mindfulness and vitality was mediated by psychological wellbeing and CS. Results support the existing research on the relationship between mindfulness and vitality.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the importance of psychological wellbeing and CS has implications for addressing the high incidences of the negative impact of therapeutic work.