Offered from Summer 2010
Mindfulness Therapy is an elective course focusing on the use of mindfulness as an essential component of any approach to clinical work, as a specific skill used in therapy, and as a quality of competent clinicians. This course provides a framework for the fundamental uses of mindfulness as a professional and therapeutic method in social work.
Mindfulness can be defined as the intentional and nonjudgmental act of bringing one’s attention and awareness to the present moment. Mindfulness skills have emerged as an important component of several empirically validated treatments in the biomedical and mental health fields. These include mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), prevention of relapse for severe depression (MBCT), treatment of borderline personality disorder (DBT), pain management, and various approaches for treating anxiety, eating disorders and trauma. Students taking this course will be required to develop or continue their own mindfulness practice.