Despite of the fact that mindfulness has been seen an ascendency in popularity due to the fast pace of our modern lives and increasingly recommended by professionals in the therapy arena, some practitioners and scientists began to question whether mindfulness is really effective as a therapeutic technique.

An article by UK psychologists Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm raise two major concerns on application of mindfulness meditation in mental health settings. First, they say that individuals react differently to this technique: some may reap the benefits, some will not be affected, and the others may suffer side effects. Second, there is insufficient or inconclusive evidence for its benefits, particularly when compared with other treatments.

Farias and Wikholm note that the early studies on the application of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) showed that, when compared with a treatment-as-usual (TAU) group, mindfulness led to lower relapse rates for those with three or more episodes of depression, but increased the likelihood of relapse in individuals with two or fewer depressive episodes. Those who benefit the most were shown to be most psychologically vulnerable individuals, such as those with a personal history of childhood trauma and abuse.

A cross-sectional study on the effects of intensive and long-term meditation reported that over 60% of individuals had at least one negative effect, which varied from increased anxiety to depression and full-blown psychosis. Qualitative research on mindfulness meditation shows that it may increase the awareness of difficult feelings and exacerbate psychological problems.

Farias and Wikholm note that there are findings whcih raise doubts about the long-term benefits of meditation. They say that there was no evidence that mindfulness had an effect on mood, attention, sleep or substance use. Further, mindfulness was not more effective when compared with other interventions, such as physical exercise or relaxation. They suggest that mindfulness practice should be treated as one one possible therapeutic approach, not as the ‘go-to’ option for patients struggling with stress or recurrent depression.

We asked Dr Samantha Clarke, clinical psychologist and director of Sunshine Coast Clinical Psychology in Queensland about the benefits of mindfulness. She said:

“Mindfulness has been a big focus of research over the last few decades and we know that there are a lot of psychological benefits. The kind of benefits you can experience just by doing short mindfulness practices include reduced rumination, stress and worry, a reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as reduced unpleasant emotions and increased pleasant emotions.

People that practice mindfulness are better at sustaining attention and experience improved working memory, improved cognitive flexibility and the ability to shift from one task to another. They also experience less emotional reactivity which is hugely advantageous. The benefit of not being reactive in situations and being able to pause and choose your response effectively is so vital to be resilient and successful in this day and age.

We also know that people who practice mindfulness have improved relationship satisfaction and this is often because they can deeply enjoy moments with their partner taking in their experience fully through their five senses, but also because they are better at communicating, less conflictual, and better at empathy. So you can see how mindfulness not only benefits intimate relationship but work relationships, friendships and family relationships.

In addition to the positive physiological cognitive benefits there has been a great deal of research looking at how mindfulness improves health. We know that people who practiced mindfulness for even 10 minutes a day over six to eight weeks can have the abilities to turn off around 500 of their unhealthy genes, being able to influence their vulnerability around health. We also know there is increased immune functioning, improved weight loss and reduced blood pressure.”

Samantha Clarke (PhD)

Samantha Clarke is a Clinical Psychologist, Personal Trainer and Director of Sunshine Coast Clinical Psychology in Queensland. Samantha incorporates an holistic approach to healthcare, placing emphasis on helping each individual move towards a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Samantha’s work has a strong foundation in providing Mindfulness-based interventions and she is particularly interested in assisting people with addressing lifestyle difficulties and overall wellness. Her PhD is focused on connecting individual meaning into health practices to enhance goal achievement and overall wellbeing.

Merging two of her passions – travel and wellness – Samantha founded Mind Body Resilience wellness retreats held in Australia and overseas. These wellness intensives assist health professionals reconnect with their sense of meaning, combat burnout and kick-start their overall health.

Held in stunning natural locales the retreats combine evidence based psychological strategies, along with movement practices and nutritional needs to arm participants with the skills needed to bounce back from stress, pursue goals and address barriers that ultimately arise in life.

The dates for the next Noosa retreat are 17 – 22nd August and 13 – 16th October.

The next retreat for health professionals is in Byron Bay from 28th October to 2nd November.

MBR also create specialised retreat experiences tailored for your friends.

Contact Sam@scclinpsych.com.au for more details

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