Mindfulness Interventions in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

There is growing interest in expanding mental health treatment options for individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mindfulness interventions encompass a family of approaches that are gaining popularity and empirical support. "Mindfulness interventions" is a broad umbrella term used in this article to encompass a diverse range of psychological and mind-body interventions that incorporate mindfulness practice as a core component. In this article, our primary aims are to (a) briefly define mindfulness and mindfulness interventions, (b) summarize recent randomized control trials on mindfulness interventions for PTSD, (c) highlight hypothesized mechanisms of these interventions (i.e., improved interoceptive awareness and arousal regulation, acceptance, and attentional control), and (d) offer clinical tips for practitioners aiming to incorporate or implement diverse mindfulness interventions with their clients. Throughout, we include clinical examples and applications from our work implementing mindfulness interventions with survivors of trauma experiencing PTSD. We conclude this article by offering potential directions for future research.