Date

12-2019

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Fernando Garzon

Keywords

Shame, Mindfulness, Resiliency, Christian Mindfulness, Meditation, Cultural Competency

Disciplines

Counseling | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Shame is a destructive moral emotion experienced by a vast majority of the population and is found at the core of numerous mental illnesses and spiritual crises. Unfortunately, Christians seeking help for these conditions are often left with unmet cultural needs in the process of treatment, potentially hindering full healing or even entrance into needed treatment. The current small N time series case study research addresses this dilemma utilizing a culturally accommodated form of mindfulness, which is an existing treatment known to promote healing in the physical and mental health realms. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of a multitude of mental health conditions as well as in reducing the experience of shame; therefore, this intervention was adapted to incorporate constructs common to the Christian culture and protocols were created to be used with Christians at a community-based Christian psychotherapy clinic. Utilizing a set of Christian Accommodative Mindfulness (CAM) meditations and exercises, levels of shame, depression, anxiety and resiliency were measured using psychometrically researched scales to determine the effect of CAM on the clinical presentation of recipients of professional counseling. Results of the study demonstrated that mindfulness was able to be successfully adapted for and delivered to Christian clients seeking therapy for depression or anxiety in an outpatient clinic with significant desired effect to decrease shame, depression and anxiety as well as to increase resiliency. These findings provide initial empirical support for the development and utilization of mindfulness interventions that are culturally sensitive to the unique worldview of the Christian clinical population. Future research considerations and recommendations are provided.

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