Mindfulness in PTSD treatment

In recent years, the field has witnessed considerable enthusiasm for the ancient practice of mindfulness. The skills derived from this experience, including focused attention, nonjudgmental acceptance of internal experiences and reduced autonomic reactivity, may be helpful in counteracting pathological responses to trauma. Several types of interventions that incorporate principles of mindfulness have been examined for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This nascent literature is inconsistent and methodologically limited but does suggest that mindfulness is a potentially important tool for creating psychological change. The interventions described herein generally would not yet be considered first-line treatments for PTSD. Nonetheless, evidence is building, and mindfulness may provide an impetus for better understanding how to personalize psychological interventions and to evaluate their outcomes.