In recent years, mindfulness has been gaining much attention in the field of psychotherapy. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationships between counselor's mindfulness, empathy, and countertransference management ability.
In study 1...
In recent years, mindfulness has been gaining much attention in the field of psychotherapy. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationships between counselor's mindfulness, empathy, and countertransference management ability.
In study 1, the correlation and influence of mindfulness, counselor's empathy, and countertransference management ability were analyzed. Counselor's empathy was measured with Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory(BLRI). It provides two different perception on empathy in the counseling process: One from counselors and the other from the clients. The result showed that mindfulness had showed significant positive relation with counselor-perceived empathy. Mindfulness didn't relate to client-perceived empathy in general, but it showed positive relation with a subordinate factor of client-perceived empathy. Mindfulness showed significantpositive relation with countertransference management ability.
Second, stepwise multiple regression was used to explore mindfulness subordinate factors' influences. The dependent variables were counselor's empathy and countertransference management ability, and the predictor variables were mindfulness scale's subordinate factors. As a result, 'present awareness' and 'de-centered attention' were found to be predictive factors in counselor-perceived empathy, and 'de-centered attention' was a predictive factor in countertransference management ability.
In study 2, a mindfulness training program known as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was implemented to examine whether mindfulness improves counselor's empathy and countertransference management ability. All 14 participants were graduate students majoring in counseling, clinical psychology or counselors and the program was continued for 8 weeks.
As a result, both counselor's empathy and countertransference management ability showed significant differences between experimental and control group at post-treatment assessment. These changes were also maintained at the follow-up assessment.
Second, change patterns of mindfulness training program participants were analyzed. Three patterns were identified: In first pattern, both counselor's mindfulness, and therapeutic ability(empathy and countertransference management ability) were improved. In second pattern, counselor's mindfulness was not improved or decreased, but therapeutic ability was improved. In third pattern, counselor's mindfulness was improved, but therapeutic ability was not improved or decreased. Three participants representing each group were interviewed to check mindfulness' influence on counselor's empathy and countertransference management ability. The interviewees reported that mindfulness' awareness and de-centered attention had promotedtheir sensitiveness, countertransference management ability, and acceptive attitude.
Findings suggest that mindfulness is a therapeutic attitude which improves counselor's empathy and countertransference management ability. These findings may have implications for a counselor factor study. Finally, the limitations of this study and the directions for the future study were discussed.