“While in reality many patients have symptoms extending beyond GAD, this is a well-controlled study giving us greater evidence that mindfulness-based practices are powerful elements of the behavioral health toolkit,” says David Cordon, MD, Medical Director of Outpatient Services and Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health.
“Mindfulness is a highly teachable skill, and it is very empowering once mastered and practiced regularly,” he adds. “When it’s integrated into daily life, it may even be possible to avoid the use of medications in certain patients with mild to moderate anxiety.”
It’s good news for patients who are interested in nonpharmacological approaches to care or who are worried about medication side effects. Of course, sometimes medication is an essential component of the treatment toolkit to help those with severe symptoms gain the ability to engage in their care.
Putting Mindfulness into Practice
Michelle Reuben, LPC, ACS, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Clinical Director for Outpatient Services, offers these tips for helping patients develop an ongoing mindfulness or meditation practice.
Start with mindfulness. Meditation often requires focus, time, and a quiet space, but mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere – even by paying attention to the five senses when brewing hot, aromatic coffee in the morning.
Get into your own rhythm. Mindfulness and/or meditation is valuable for providers, too. A consistent practice means you can better convey the benefits to patients and help them through any difficulties in getting started.
Incorporate mindfulness into therapy. When exploring something new, it’s usually helpful to have someone else join you. Try taking a few minutes to start and/or end a patient session with a mindfulness exercise together.
Encourage repetition. Consider providing mindfulness homework to support engagement and a diary card to track progress. With continued practice, patients often begin to notice the benefits.
Check out apps. Using an app like HeadSpace, Calm, or Smiling Mind – which is free – is a convenient way to build consistency. Apps can also add variety through activities such as guided mindfulness walks.
* Hoge EA et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction vs escitalopram for the treatment of adults with anxiety disorders: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2023;80(1):13–21.
