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Contents
- Abstract
- What Are the Current Empirically Supported Treatments for PTSD?
- What Is Mindfulness?
- What Are the Relations Between Mindfulness and Psychopathology?
- In What Ways Might Mindfulness Be Helpful for People With PTSD?
- How Is Mindfulness Being Used in Psychological Treatments With Relevance to PTSD?
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)
- Clinical Caveats
- Does Research Support the Use of Mindfulness in the Treatment of PTSD?
- Can Mindfulness Be Integrated With Empirically Supported Treatments for PTSD?
- How Might Clinicians Learn More About Mindfulness-Based Interventions?
- Summary and Future Directions
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Abstract
How might a practice that has its roots in contemplative traditions, seeking heightened awareness through meditation, apply to trauma-related mental health struggles among military veterans? In recent years, clinicians and researchers have observed the increasing presence of mindfulness in Western mental health treatment programs. Mindfulness is about bringing an attitude of curiosity and compassion to present experience. This review addresses the above question in a detailed manner with an emphasis on the treatment of military veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related psychopathology. In addition, the integration of mindfulness with current empirically supported treatments for PTSD is discussed with specific attention to directions for future research in this area.
“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
Increasing numbers of returning veterans are presenting to the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for mental health services related to trauma exposure or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Indeed, preliminary epidemiological findings indicate a high rate of trauma exposure among service-seeking Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans (Hoge et al., 2004), with approximately 25.5% of returning Veterans presenting to VHA meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD (VHA Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards, 2010). Both trauma exposure and PTSD are associated with high rates of co-occurring psychiatric disorders (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes, & Nelson, 1995) and significant impairments in interpersonal relationships, occupational functioning, physical health, and overall quality of life (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). Therefore, the evaluation of existing treatment services is essential to the provision of cutting-edge,...