Centering and counselor empathy: Examining the moderating effects of nondual awareness
Daniel Gutiérrez, Stephanie Dorais, Jennifer Niles
Journal of Counseling & Development June 17, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1002/jcad.12528 via OpenAlex
Summary
Centering meditation significantly enhances counselors' empathy over time, as shown in a study involving counseling graduate students in the U.S. After a 4-week treatment, there was a sustained increase in empathy levels. The study also found that nondual bliss moderates changes in empathy, indicating its varying influence during the intervention. These findings support the use of centering meditation in counselor training and practice.
Study at a glance
| Design | randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Population | counseling graduate students across the United States |
| Key finding | A 4-week centering meditation treatment resulted in a statistically significant and sustained increase in empathy among counselors. |
Abstract
Abstract Centering is a contemplative practice derived from centering prayer. In the context of counseling, our study explores centering as an intervention to enhance counselors’ empathy. Additionally, we investigate the moderating influence of nonduality, particularly bliss, on the changes in empathy over time. Through a randomized controlled trial involving counseling graduate students across the United States, we measured empathy and nonduality. Following a 4‐week centering meditation treatment, the initial growth curve model revealed a statistically significant and sustained increase in empathy ( p < 0.001). The second model underscored the significance of the three‐way interaction between group, time, and nondual bliss, indicating a time‐varying moderating effect on empathy. This research has practical implications for counseling and counselor training, endorsing centering meditation as a valuable tool for grounding counselors pre‐ and post‐sessions and providing avenues for future exploration and application.