Teaching Mindfulness for the Self-Care and Well-Being of Counselors-in-Training

ABSTRACT

The demands and expectations placed on counselors-in-training can make them susceptible to stress, burnout, and poor school-life balance. Therefore, counseling students could benefit from learning mindfulness techniques as self-care strategies that promote increased relaxation, coping, and stress prevention. This mixed-methods study examined graduate counseling students’ perceptions of mindfulness training to determine its impact on self-efficacy, mood, stress, and other areas of wellness. Participants reported enhanced relaxation, increased awareness of the need for self-care, better understanding of the connection between mindfulness and overall well-being, and an impact of mindfulness on other areas of their lives.