Combining mindfulness and compassion in the treatment of complex trauma – a theoretical exploration

Strand, Mali; Stige, Signe Hjelen

doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100217

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…However, in comparison to the original 16‐week MBET, this current version had a stronger emphasis on compassion‐oriented practices and had evolved into a novel program consequently renamed to Compassion‐oriented and Mindfulness‐based Exposure Therapy (CoMET) in the current study. The development of CoMET is also consistent with recent suggestions of combined mindfulness and compassion as a hopeful treatment avenue for trauma (Strand & Stige, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

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An 8‐week compassion and mindfulness–based exposure therapy program improves posttraumatic stress symptoms

Kummar,

Correia,

Tan

et al. 2023

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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The persistence of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) can be debilitating. However, many people experiencing such symptoms may not qualify for or may not seek treatment. Potentially contributing to ongoing residual symptoms of PTSS is emotion dysregulation. Meanwhile, the research area of mindfulness and compassion has grown to imply emotion regulation as one of its underlying mechanisms; yet, its influence on emotion regulation in PTSS cohort is unknown. Here, we explored the potential effectiveness of an 8‐week Compassion‐oriented and Mindfulness‐based Exposure Therapy (CoMET) for individuals with PTSS using a waitlist control design. A total of 28 individuals (27 females, age range = 18–39 years) participated in the study (17 CoMET; 11 waitlist control). Following CoMET, participants reported significant decreases in PTSS severity (from clinical to non‐clinical levels), emotion dysregulation and experiential avoidance, as well as significant increases in mindfulness, self‐compassion and quality of life. Electroencephalogram‐based brain network connectivity analysis revealed an increase in alpha‐band connectivity following CoMET in a network that includes the amygdala, suggesting that CoMET successfully induced changes in functional connectivity between brain regions that play a crucial role in emotion regulation. In sum, the current study demonstrated promising intervention outcomes of CoMET in effectively alleviating the symptoms of PTSS via enhanced emotion regulation.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The development of CoMET is also consistent with recent suggestions of combined mindfulness and compassion as a hopeful treatment avenue for trauma (Strand & Stige, 2021).…”

supporting

confidence: 86%

An 8‐week compassion and mindfulness–based exposure therapy program improves posttraumatic stress symptoms

Kummar,

Correia,

Tan

et al. 2023

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, in comparison to the original 16-week MBET, this current version had a stronger emphasis on compassion-oriented practices and had evolved into a novel program consequently renamed to Compassionoriented and Mindfulness-based Exposure Therapy (CoMET) in the current study. The development of CoMET is also consistent with recent suggestions of combined mindfulness and compassion as a hopeful treatment avenue for trauma (Strand & Stige, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

An 8-week Compassion and Mindfulness-based Exposure Therapy Program effectively improves Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Kummar¹,

Correia²,

Tan³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The persistence of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) can be debilitating. However, many people experiencing such symptoms may not qualify for, or may not seek, treatment. Potentially contributing to ongoing residual symptoms of PTSS is emotion dysregulation. Meanwhile, the research area of mindfulness and compassion has grown to imply emotion regulation as one of its underlying mechanisms, yet, its efficacy on emotion regulation in PTSS cohort is unknown. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of an 8-week Compassion- oriented and Mindfulness-based Exposure Therapy (CoMET) for individuals with PTSS using a waitlist control design. A total of 28 individuals (27 females, age range = 18-39 years) participated in the study (17 CoMET; 11 control). Following CoMET, participants reported significant decreases in PTSS severity (from clinical to non-clinical levels), emotion dysregulation, and experiential avoidance, as well as significant increases in mindfulness, self-compassion, and quality of life. Enhanced emotion regulation also mediated the relationship between increases in mindfulness and self-compassion with decreases in PTSS severity, while the waitlist control showed no changes, except for significant increases in difficulties with emotion regulation. Electroencephalogram-based brain network connectivity analysis revealed an increase in alpha-band connectivity following CoMET in a network that includes the amygdala, suggesting that CoMET successfully induced changes in functional connectivity between brain regions that play a crucial role in emotion regulation. In sum, the current study demonstrated promising intervention outcomes of CoMET in effectively alleviating the symptoms of PTSS via enhanced emotion regulation.

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“…By contrast, popular mindfulness discourse and training, including some within the context of clinical practice, can often emphasize ‘bare’ non-judgmental attention to present moment experience independent of broader context or adjunctive affect regulation strategies, an approach distinct from the application of mindfulness in Buddhist and related practice interventions that has been problematized (Rapgay & Bystrisky, 2009 ). Some evidence also suggests such an approach may be contraindicated for people with repetitive negative thinking and trauma survivors (Schlosser et al, 2019 ; Strand & Stige, 2021 ; Zhu et al, 2019 ). Scholars have thus called for a move towards trauma-sensitive mindfulness, predicated on the observation that titrating mindfulness training and coupling it with agency, choice, affect regulation, and grounding strategies is critical for optimal benefit and to minimize maladaptive coping behaviours and practice disengagement (Treleaven, 2018 ).…”

Section: Msc As An Aspect Of Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Scholars have thus called for a move towards trauma-sensitive mindfulness, predicated on the observation that titrating mindfulness training and coupling it with agency, choice, affect regulation, and grounding strategies is critical for optimal benefit and to minimize maladaptive coping behaviours and practice disengagement (Treleaven, 2018 ). Self-compassion training like MSC has been identified as an important component of trauma-sensitive mindfulness (Strand & Stige, 2021 ; Treleaven, 2018 ; Wästlund et al, 2023 ).…”

Section: Msc As An Aspect Of Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mindful self-compassion for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma: feasibility, acceptability, potential benefits, and considerations

Braun,

Bhuptani,

O’Keefe

et al. 2024

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: Military sexual trauma (MST) is reported by up to 74% of women veterans in the United States and is a driver of poor behavioural and physical health. Self-compassion is a transdiagnostic, protective factor linked with improved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and health behaviours. Thus, Mindful Self-Compassion training (MSC) may help ameliorate MST-related impacts. However, MSC can also temporarily increase distress (i.e. backdraft). Delivering it with elective trauma-informed yoga (TIY), which regulates acute distress, may help address this issue. Objective: This VA quality improvement project examined feasibility, acceptability, and reported benefits and challenges of a manualized 8-week MSC including within non-randomized subgroups: MSC ( n = 4) and MSC+ elective TIY classes (MSC+; n = 4). Methods: Nine women veterans with a history of MST at a Vet Center in the Northeastern U.S.A. enrolled; eight completed, excluding one MSC+ participant. Measures included attrition ( n = 9), attendance ( n = 8), weekly ( n = 8) and posttreatment acceptability ( n = 6), validated symptom severity assessments ( n = 7), and an exit interview ( n = 8). Results: Among completers, MSC attendance was excellent (89%) and higher among in MSC+ vs. MSC (94% vs. 84% sessions completed). On average across the two groups, depressive and PTSD symptom severity decreased by 21% and 30%, respectively. In exit interviews, participants across groups described improved coping with distress and psychiatric symptoms, reduced stress, and improved self-care and health behaviours. Although women in both groups reported backdraft during the programme, MSC+ also reported healthier coping and improved emotional processing. Conclusion: The results of this programme evaluation infer MSC may be feasible, acceptable, and beneficial for women survivors of MST in one Vet Center in the Northeastern USA. Further, temporary elevations in MSC-related distress may be ameliorated with adjunctive TIY. Given requests of women veterans in the USA. for additional complementary and integrative health treatment options, formal research on these approaches is warranted.

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Combining mindfulness and compassion in the treatment of complex trauma – a theoretical exploration

Cited by 5 publications

References 83 publications

An 8‐week compassion and mindfulness–based exposure therapy program improves posttraumatic stress symptoms

An 8‐week compassion and mindfulness–based exposure therapy program improves posttraumatic stress symptoms

An 8-week Compassion and Mindfulness-based Exposure Therapy Program effectively improves Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

Mindful self-compassion for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma: feasibility, acceptability, potential benefits, and considerations

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