Mindfulness and Meditation for Adolescents: Practices and Programs

183 Pages·2017·4.57 MB·English

by  Betsy L. Wisner (auth.)

Mindfulness and Meditation for Adolescents
BetsyL.Wisner
Mindfulness
and Meditation
for Adolescents
Practices and Programs
BetsyL.Wisner
OurLadyoftheLakeUniversity
SanAntonio,Texas,USA
ISBN978-1-349-95206-9 ISBN978-1-349-95207-6(eBook)
DOI10.1057/978-1-349-95207-6
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017939141
©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s)2017
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher,whetherthewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsof
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodology
nowknownorhereafterdeveloped.
Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthis
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesare
exemptfromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
Thepublisher,theauthorsandtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformation
in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the
publishernortheauthorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespectto
thematerialcontainedhereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.The
publisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitu-
tionalaffiliations.
Coverillustration©foxline/GettyImages
Printedonacid-freepaper
ThisPalgraveMacmillanimprintispublishedbySpringerNature
TheregisteredcompanyisNatureAmericaInc.
Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:1NewYorkPlaza,NewYork,NY10004,U.S.A.
This bookis dedicatedto my family, friends,and to the many
adolescentswho have touchedmylife. Thankyou.
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have had the privilege of working with adolescents and their families in
counseling,correctional,andschoolsettings.Iservedinvariouscapacities
in these settings, including counselor, family therapist, and school social
worker. At the same time that I worked in the helping professions, I also
taught developmental psychology courses, including adolescent
psychology.
These experiences provided a solid foundation for my research explor-
ingthebenefitsofschool-basedmindfulnessmeditationprogrammingfor
adolescents. However, it was my experience as a student in Dr. David
Springer’sclassonDirectSocialWorkPracticeatTheUniversityofTexas
at Austin that lead to my research with adolescents. It was Dr. Springer’s
expertise in working with adolescents and his openness to mindfulness
practicesthatstimulatedmyownideatocompleteadissertationonmind-
fulness with adolescents. Dr. Springer has remained a mentor, and I am
grateful for his support over the years. He has assisted me with each
milestone of my academic career including encouragement while writing
thisbook.
I was in the right place at the right time. When I conducted my
dissertation research, there were only a handful of publications on mind-
fulness and adolescents. Now, even though adolescents continue to be
under-served inmany settings,there aremanystudies onthistopic.
In my current role as faculty member teaching social work courses for
graduate students, I recognize the importance of drawing on my knowl-
edgeandexpertisetocontributetotheprofession.Icanthinkofnobetter
way to do that than to promote the use of mindfulness and meditation
vii
viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
practicesforyouth.Thus,thepurposeofthisbookistoprovidegraduate
students, educators, clinicians, and researchers interested in mindfulness
and meditation practices and programs for youth with an overview and
synthesis of the literature and research about these programs. I hope this
bookprovideshelpfulinformationtothoseinterestedinmindfulnessand
meditation programmingforyouth.
My commissioning editor at Palgrave Macmillan, Rachel Krause,
deserves recognition for her professionalism and support from our initial
communication through the completion of this book. She answered my
many questions and supported my development as a first-time book
author. I also am thankful to Kyra Saniewski, Editorial Assistant at
Palgrave Macmillan, forherguidance during the writingprocess.
My niece, Kirsten Hollenbeck, helped to edit the early chapter drafts
and used her expertise with adolescents to help me create the case exam-
ples usedinthisbook. I appreciate herhelp.
I’d like to thank my mother, Patricia Dafoe, my sister, Deborah
Hollenbeck, and my brothers, Jay Wisner, Daniel Wisner, and Andrew
Wisner for their friendship and support. They have supported all my
dreams.
I have had the unique opportunity to co-facilitate a mindfulness pro-
gram, conduct research, and collaborate on publications with my partner
and husband, James Starzec. I appreciate his wise counsel and helpful
support through the manyadventureswehave experienced together.
C
ONTENTS
1 AnIntroductiontoMindfulnessand Meditation Practices
andProgramsfor Adolescents 1
2 TheoreticalFoundations SupportingMindfulnessand
Meditation forAdolescents 25
3 Benefits ofMindfulnessand Meditation forAdolescents 47
4 MindfulnessandMeditation for Adolescents
inEducational Settings 75
5 Mindfulnessfor Adolescentsin Counseling, Behavioral
Health,andMedicalSettings 107
6 Home,Community-Based,andSpecialized Settings 127
7 Recommendations,Conclusions, andFutureDirections 143
Index 167
ix
L F
IST OF IGURES
Fig1.1 Peer-reviewedresearchonmindfulnessandmeditation 13
xi
L T
IST OF ABLES
Table4.1 MindUPCurriculum.Grades6–8 77
Table4.2 LearningtoBREATHE(L2B)Themes 79
Table4.3 MindfulnessinSchoolsProjectandthe.bCurriculum.
Ages11–18 81
Table4.4 MBSR-T.Ages13–18 85
Table4.5 TheResilientSchoolsProgram 93
xiii