Mindfulness Meditation as a Self-Care Practice in Social Work

Self-care is an important aspect in social work practice, and mindfulness meditation can be used to reduce stress, provide a sense of calmness and increase awareness. Since the benefits of using mindfulness meditation as a form of self-care for social workers has been minimally studied, this research focused on whether mindfulness meditation could have a positive impact on self-care for social workers. This study used mixed methods of data collection and a single subject design methodology using the researchers as the subjects. Pre and post test data on self-care measures were analyzed following a 6 week mindfulness intervention period. Data suggests that mindfulness interventions did increase self-awareness and compassion satisfaction, as well as decreased the likelihood of burn out and secondary traumatic stress. This research suggests a number of implications for social work students who may benefit by incorporating mindfulness practices into their daily lives.