Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Trauma and Its Consequences

People suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other consequences of trauma face daunting challenges. Although many clinical treatments target symptoms of PTSD, an optimal treatment strategy would also address the many health problems that co-occur, such as chronic pain, substance misuse, and depression.

To address this need, this book offers mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). These therapeutic treatments aim to change the patient's relationship to thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and associated behaviors through an attitude of non-judgment, curiosity, openness, acceptance, and kindness. MBIs can help clients at any stage of recovery and be used in tandem with standard PTSD therapies.

David Kearney and Tracy L. Simpson show practitioners how to guide the patient through meditation practices such as breathing meditation, body scan meditation, or mindful movement to address symptoms including rumination, guilt and shame, avoidance, and hypervigilance, as well as comorbid conditions such as depression, chronic pain, and substance misuse.

The authors discuss the research supporting this approach, and offer practical suggestions to help therapists implement MBIs with their clients.

Title Page

Table of Contents

Introduction

• Chapter 1: Why Mindfulness-Based Interventions for PTSD?
• Chapter 2: Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) for other consequences of trauma, including depression, substance misuse, chronic pain, and other somatic syndromes
• Chapter 3: Practical Considerations for Offering Mindfulness-Based Interventions to People with Trauma Histories
• Chapter 4: Reflections on Teaching Specific Mindfulness Practices
• Chapter 5: Moving Forward

References

About the Authors

David J. Kearney, MD, is a staff physician at VA Puget Sound Health Care System and a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is also the founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

His research has studied the influence of mindfulness-based interventions on a broad range of outcomes, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression, quality of life, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and attention/memory lapses.

His work involves clinical trials comparing mindfulness-based interventions with approaches based on cognitive behavior therapy in a population with a high prevalence of trauma. His work has been supported through grants from the VA Office of Research and Development.

Tracy L. Simpson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist at VA Puget Sound Health Care System and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is a senior faculty member of the VA Puget Sound Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education.

Dr. Simpson has more than 20 years of clinical and research experience with trauma and posttrauma sequelae, and has collaborated with Dr. Kearney on various trials evaluating mindfulness-based interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has also carried out trials evaluating pharmacologic and behavioral interventions for alcohol use disorders with and without concurrent PTSD.

Her work has been supported by grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Department of Defense, and the VA Office of Research and Development.

An essential contribution to the field of mindfulness-based interventions and their applications to the PTSD epidemic. Kearney and Simpson are deeply rooted in the practice of mindfulness, and are experts in its clinical applications to stress, pain, illness, and trauma. This book will be of great practical value to clinicians and researchers alike.
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Professor of Medicine Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Kearney and Simpson are to be commended for their clear-eyed and hopeful rendering of the promise inherent in mindfulness-based care for trauma. Not steering away from the challenges faced by trauma survivors learning mindfulness, the authors’ clinical experiences shine through as they reflect on the ways in which preparation, language, and intention can sharpen the impact of specific mindfulness practices. This is a wonderful guide for those working in this critical area.
—Zindel Segal, PhD
author of The Mindful Way Workbook