The experience of BEING: an interpretative phenomenological study on the meditative ‘being’ qualities, as experienced by counselling psychologists in therapeutic practice.

Abstract

The past few decades have seen a rapid increase in mindfulness meditation as a popular Western mainstream practice, accompanied with a proliferation of studies around the topic of mindfulness, and its practice (mindfulness meditation). A review of relevant literature revealed that within the field of psychology, there is an increasing presence of research around mindfulness-based psychotherapy and its efficacy as an alternative to established psychological treatments for a range of conditions. However, there is currently limited research around the longer-term practice of mindfulness meditation, as may be engaged in by psychologists, and how this may inform their therapeutic practice and the quality of the therapeutic relationship. Given the central role that counselling psychologists place on the therapeutic relationship as an avenue for change, the study reported in this thesis sought to investigate the mindfulness and meditative practice experiences of counselling psychologists in an attempt to better understand its perceived relevance for counselling psychology. This thesis therefore focuses on the related constructs of meditation and mindfulness, and the resulting meditative being qualities. At a macro level, the study pertains to the prevalent problem of human states of disconnection, both within self and between others. Specifically, it asks whether psychologists can connect better with (themselves and) their clients, through meditative being. The study is positioned within an existential framework. A qualitative methodological design was employed, and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was selected as the most appropriate methodology with which to explore the personal experience of mindfulness meditation, and the meanings attached to such experience. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants, and the final study sample group comprised a total of eleven counselling psychologists based across three geographical provinces in South Africa. The data collection process involved a combination of both semi-structured interviews (either face-toface or online), and a reflective journalling task. The resulting data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The research findings are structured around dominant superordinate and sub-themes. Participants’ conceptualisation of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation revealed two dominant themes – one related to its sensory nature and one to its personal nature. Consistent with literature reviewed, mindfulness and its practice was experienced to foster certain capacities, perceived to be the essence of mindfulness meditation practice. These include an increased capacity to be present and calm; and an increased capacity for self-awareness (including the relating capacities for non-judgement and nonattachment). A dominant theme related to the capacity mindfulness has to foster open-mindedness, a notion which pertains to self-awareness of one’s own internal narrative, biases and preconceptions. The findings reveal that mindfulness practice is experienced as assisting with valuable therapeutic capacities, including increased attention, a capacity to hold the therapeutic space, and a capacity to shift the therapeutic focus, from an intellectual to a sensory based focus. Such capacities ultimately facilitate a better therapeutic environment. The relevance of mindfulness and its practice in South Africa specifically pertained to its perceived efficacy in trauma work. In terms of its contribution to the topic of mindfulness and its practice, the study supports the current body of literature which advocates its benefits to counselling psychology, identifying several impacting ways in which mindfulness and its practice offers value – first, its relevance as a multi-cultural approach to healing; second, its value as a means of addressing psychological defence mechanisms that often present in the therapeutic space; and thirdly, the value of mindfulness in the counselling psychology curriculum, both in South Africa and internationally - in order to provide trainee counselling psychologists with a more holistic offering.