Mindfulness Treatment with Torture and Trauma Clients at STARTTS (Case study)

In order for the client to become able to control her feelings, which was presented to be a major difficulty, the contract based on Mindfulness Therapy was made. The aim of mindfulness therapy was based on the fact that the client expressed willingness learning to be aware of her thoughts and bodily sensations and in doing so being able to better cope with day to day emotions and problems. In other words, Mindfulness is paying attention in a particular way: on purpose in the present moment and non- judgmentally." (Kabat-Zinn, 2003, p. 145). Mindfulness therapy was based on a) Meta-cognitive awareness of one?s thoughts as a central to mindfulness training (Cayoun, 2005); perceiving thought (Teasdale, 1999) with no evaluation or judgement; and b) Interoception related to ?Being mindful? and ?Aware ? of bodily sensations.

The therapy comprised of : One minute exercise, Mindful Eating and Walking, Body Scan, Diaphragm breathing, Various breathing exercise and Desensitisation  based on two models: a) ?Being Model? focusing on: Noticing, Allowing, Accepting, Experimental, Understanding and paying Wide Awareness) and b) ?Doing Model? focusing on: Achieving, Solving, Efficiency and concentrating on focus of awareness.

The evaluation of the client?s psychological state revealed benefits of Mindfulness related to a) Stability of Mind, b) Flexibility of Mind,  c) Self awareness and d) Acting rather than reacting, while some of client?s symptoms disappeared and others were significantly reduced.