TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical Considerations in Using Mindfulness- and Acceptance-Based Approaches With Diverse Populations
T2 - Addressing Challenges in Service Delivery in Diverse Community Settings
AU - Sobczak, La Tanya Rucker
AU - West, Lindsey M.
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - Mindfulness- and acceptance-based strategies effectively alter clients' relationships with their internal experiences, which may have been previously restricted, avoided, or even beyond clients' awareness. Even though the scientific exploration of the psychological benefits of mindfulness in the treatment literature continues to be in its infancy, it is important to uphold best practices by exploring the applications of these therapeutic approaches in diverse community populations. In this article, we discuss recommendations for addressing challenges that have arisen while delivering mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies to consumers of mental health services from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., marginalized racial, religious, and socioeconomic groups). Specific case examples illustrate the challenges of promoting acceptance in the face of adversity, the acceptability of mindfulness, attending to differences in the therapist and client perspectives, and promoting the pursuit of values in the face of adversity. Clinical recommendations and suggestions for dissemination of these approaches to clinicians working with racially and ethnically diverse, underserved populations are discussed.
AB - Mindfulness- and acceptance-based strategies effectively alter clients' relationships with their internal experiences, which may have been previously restricted, avoided, or even beyond clients' awareness. Even though the scientific exploration of the psychological benefits of mindfulness in the treatment literature continues to be in its infancy, it is important to uphold best practices by exploring the applications of these therapeutic approaches in diverse community populations. In this article, we discuss recommendations for addressing challenges that have arisen while delivering mindfulness- and acceptance-based behavioral therapies to consumers of mental health services from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds (e.g., marginalized racial, religious, and socioeconomic groups). Specific case examples illustrate the challenges of promoting acceptance in the face of adversity, the acceptability of mindfulness, attending to differences in the therapist and client perspectives, and promoting the pursuit of values in the face of adversity. Clinical recommendations and suggestions for dissemination of these approaches to clinicians working with racially and ethnically diverse, underserved populations are discussed.
KW - Behavior therapy
KW - Community mental health
KW - Diverse populations
KW - Mindfulness- and acceptance-based treatments
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872275111&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84872275111&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.08.005
DO - 10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.08.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84872275111
SN - 1077-7229
VL - 20
SP - 13
EP - 22
JO - Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
JF - Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
IS - 1
ER -