Why mindfulness belongs in counseling psychology: A synergistic clinical and research agenda

Mindfulness has gained prominence in psychology and medicine, and recently in counseling psychology. This article reviews the mindfulness literature and identifies theoretical and practical overlaps with counseling psychology's core values. It discusses how counseling psychology can uniquely contribute to mindfulness research through multiculturalism, social justice, psychotherapy process and outcome, and supervision and training. Mindfulness can also support counseling psychology's mission by offering strengths-based approaches to intervention and prevention. Five recommendations for a collaborative research agenda are provided.

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Abstract

Mindfulness has become an increasingly visible part of the landscape in psychology and medicine in the past several decades. Only recently has this same interest in mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions appeared in counseling psychology. This article provides a brief synopsis of the mindfulness literature and explores the theoretical, ideological, and practical overlap between core values of counseling psychology and this burgeoning area of research and practice. In addition, the article explores ways in which counseling psychology can contribute uniquely to mindfulness research and practice through a focus on multiculturalism and social justice, psychotherapy process and outcome, and supervision and training. Further, ways in which mindfulness can inform counseling psychology’s mission are examined, including offering a strengths-based approach to psychological intervention and prevention and informing supervision and training. Lastly, five specific recommendations for a synergistic research agenda marrying mindfulness and counseling psychology are offered.