Some Concerns About the Psychological Implications of Mindfulness: A Critical Analysis

In this critical analysis, we discuss the construct of mindfulness and address a number of theoretical inconsistencies and potential practical consequences of mindfulness-based clinical practices. We argue that mindfulness practices are potentially powerful psychological interventions that should be well circumscribed (1) to assure clinical safety and access to the best available clinical practices and (2) used as part of a multi-component intervention or as a stand-alone treatment, particularly when empirically supported treatments such as cognitive–behavioral therapies have not achieved desired outcomes.