20 Jan Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Interventions response to colleagues

                       SOCW–6060: SOCIAL WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE 

Discussion 2: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Interventions response to colleagues

According to Garland (2013), there is skepticism about mindfulness as an effective intervention. Often, because of its philosophical roots in Buddhism, practitioners and scholars equate mindfulness with “New Age” beliefs. As a result, some may wonder how effective mindfulness interventions are. Recall from Week 1 that it is important to answer the question about the effectiveness of interventions by using empirical evidence rather than experiences or intuition.

You may not have experienced or practiced mindfulness. After you listen to the recordings found on the website listed in the Learning Resources, reflect on some of the following questions: (1) What did you notice? (2) What were you thinking while you were listening? (3) What were you feeling while you were listening? (4) How was your body reacting while listening? (5) How did you feel after you practiced mindfulness?

In this Discussion, you will experience an example of mindfulness and also determine whether mindfulness has scientific support.

To prepare:

• Listen to a recording from those found at this website listed in the Learning Resources: UCLA Health. (n.d.). Free guided meditations. Retrieved December 8, 2017, from http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations

• Read this article listed in the Learning Resources: Garland, E. L. (2013). Mindfulness research in social work: Conceptual and methodological recommendations. Social Work Research, 37(4), 439–448. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svt038

• Conduct a library search in the Walden Library for one research study about the effectiveness of mindfulness as an intervention for the client in the case study you have been using. Remember when looking for studies to take into account your client’s age, developmental stage, and presenting problem.

By Day 6

Respond to two colleagues( see below, (Half a page each with)

• Comparing the studies that you and your colleague identified and the experiences you presented from your mindful practice exercise, evaluate one strength and one limitation of using mindfulness interventions for the client (consider how culturally relevant it is, how aligned it is with social work ethics, etc.).

Be sure to support your responses with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references both within the text and on the referencing section.  PLEASE ALWAYS INCLUDE THE REQIRED TEXTBOOK as part of the references and if possible some of the REQUIRED READING if applicable. Please always start by referring to THE TEXTBOOK, Turner, F.J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

 

Required Readings

 

Turner, F. J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

• Chapter 20: Mindfulness and Social Work (pp. 325–337)

• Chapter 37: Trauma-Informed Social Work Treatment and Complex Trauma (pp. 553–573)

 

Garland, E. L. (2013). Mindfulness research in social work: Conceptual and methodological recommendations. Social Work Research, 37(4), 439–448. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svt038

 

 

Vis, J.-A. & Boynton, H. M. (2008). Spirituality and transcendent meaning making: Possibilities for enhancing posttraumatic growth. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work, 27(1/2): 69–86. 

 

UCLA Health. (n.d.). Free guided meditations. Retrieved December 8, 2017, from http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations

 

For Discussion 2, listen to a guided meditation by selecting a link on this website.

Required Media

 

Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2014). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice [Video file].  

 

This week, watch the “Existential Therapy” segment by watching from 0:57:53 – 1:18:52 on the time marker.

Optional Resources

Knight, C. (2015). Trauma-informed social work practice: Practice considerations and challenges. Clinical Social Work Journal, 43(1), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-014-0481-6 

Lynn, R., & Mensinga, J. (2015). Social workers’ narratives of integrating mindfulness into practice. Journal of Social Work Practice, 29(3), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2015.1035237

                       SOCW–6060: SOCIAL WORK THEORY AND PRACTICE 

Discussion 2: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Interventions response to colleagues

According to Garland (2013), there is skepticism about mindfulness as an effective intervention. Often, because of its philosophical roots in Buddhism, practitioners and scholars equate mindfulness with “New Age” beliefs. As a result, some may wonder how effective mindfulness interventions are. Recall from Week 1 that it is important to answer the question about the effectiveness of interventions by using empirical evidence rather than experiences or intuition.

You may not have experienced or practiced mindfulness. After you listen to the recordings found on the website listed in the Learning Resources, reflect on some of the following questions: (1) What did you notice? (2) What were you thinking while you were listening? (3) What were you feeling while you were listening? (4) How was your body reacting while listening? (5) How did you feel after you practiced mindfulness?

In this Discussion, you will experience an example of mindfulness and also determine whether mindfulness has scientific support.

To prepare:

• Listen to a recording from those found at this website listed in the Learning Resources: UCLA Health. (n.d.). Free guided meditations. Retrieved December 8, 2017, from http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations

• Read this article listed in the Learning Resources: Garland, E. L. (2013). Mindfulness research in social work: Conceptual and methodological recommendations. Social Work Research, 37(4), 439–448. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svt038

• Conduct a library search in the Walden Library for one research study about the effectiveness of mindfulness as an intervention for the client in the case study you have been using. Remember when looking for studies to take into account your client’s age, developmental stage, and presenting problem.

By Day 6

Respond to two colleagues( see below, (Half a page each with)

• Comparing the studies that you and your colleague identified and the experiences you presented from your mindful practice exercise, evaluate one strength and one limitation of using mindfulness interventions for the client (consider how culturally relevant it is, how aligned it is with social work ethics, etc.).

Be sure to support your responses with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references both within the text and on the referencing section.  PLEASE ALWAYS INCLUDE THE REQIRED TEXTBOOK as part of the references and if possible some of the REQUIRED READING if applicable. Please always start by referring to THE TEXTBOOK, Turner, F.J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

 

Required Readings

 

Turner, F. J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (6th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

• Chapter 20: Mindfulness and Social Work (pp. 325–337)

• Chapter 37: Trauma-Informed Social Work Treatment and Complex Trauma (pp. 553–573)

 

Garland, E. L. (2013). Mindfulness research in social work: Conceptual and methodological recommendations. Social Work Research, 37(4), 439–448. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svt038

 

 

Vis, J.-A. & Boynton, H. M. (2008). Spirituality and transcendent meaning making: Possibilities for enhancing posttraumatic growth. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work, 27(1/2): 69–86. 

 

UCLA Health. (n.d.). Free guided meditations. Retrieved December 8, 2017, from http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations

 

For Discussion 2, listen to a guided meditation by selecting a link on this website.

Required Media

 

Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2014). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice [Video file].  

 

This week, watch the “Existential Therapy” segment by watching from 0:57:53 – 1:18:52 on the time marker.

Optional Resources

Knight, C. (2015). Trauma-informed social work practice: Practice considerations and challenges. Clinical Social Work Journal, 43(1), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-014-0481-6 

Lynn, R., & Mensinga, J. (2015). Social workers’ narratives of integrating mindfulness into practice. Journal of Social Work Practice, 29(3), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2015.1035237