A qualitative analysis of beginning mindfulness experiences for women with post-traumatic stress disorder and a history of intimate partner violence
Abstract
This article presents the beginning mindfulness experiences of low income, minority women with a history of intimate partner violence. Ten women participated in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction group, three interviews and a focus group over 15 months. Using an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach, we derived the following themes: struggles to practice meditation; a vision of growing and helping; personal improvements, and interpersonal improvements. We share recommendations for clinical practice.
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A study with survivors of intimate partner violence with post-traumatic stress disorder found that participants struggled to engage in mindfulness because it "heightened their awareness of intense emotions that they had difficulty tolerating."
“A study with survivors of intimate partner violence with post-traumatic stress disorder found that participants struggled to engage in mindfulness because it “heightened their awareness of intense emotions that they had difficulty tolerating.” 48”
From Mindfulness, Mental Health, and Violence Exposure Among Transgender Female Sex Workers Living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. (2026) · cites this paper as [48]
More severe violence exposure may reduce the ability of survivors to engage in mindfulness.
“One explanation of why our hypothesis was only partially supported is that more severe violence exposure may reduce the ability of survivors to engage in mindfulness.”
From Mindfulness, Mental Health, and Violence Exposure Among Transgender Female Sex Workers Living with HIV in the Dominican Republic. (2026) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Bermudez, D., Benjamin, M. T., Porter, S. E., Saunders, P. A., Myers, N. A. L., & Dutton, M. A.
- Affiliations
- George Washington University (US)
- Georgetown University Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bermudez, Diana
- Venue
- Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-05
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 104-108
- ISSN
- 1744-3881 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1983792501
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 2.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Georgetown University
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (R34MH077066)
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (T32AT000052)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- mindfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, intimate partner violence, mindfulness-based stress reduction, women, low-income minority women, meditation practice, interpersonal relationships, clinical guidelines
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Psychotherapy, Group, Quality of Life, Spouse Abuse, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological, Battered Women, Meditation
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