Where id was, there shall...mindfulness be - nonjudgemental awareness and psychotherapy

Abstract

Mindfulness – an individual's nonjudgmental, accepting awareness of his/her present-moment expe­rience – is in many ways and significantly related to psychotherapy. Throughout history, various spiritual and philosophical traditions were helping people strengthen mindfulness and therefore live less stressful, healthier and more fulfilling life. In psychotherapy, mindfulness represents a common factor that can be found in all psychotherapy orientations. Further integration of mindfulness in psychotherapy process is possible at the level of therapeutic philosophy, at the level of therapeutic interventions and as a tool for therapists and a catalyst of therapeutic relationship. Briefly presented are also the mechanisms of action of mindfulness interventions