Relaxation Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation One-Day Workshop for Nephrology Social Workers: Exploring the Impact of This Training on Professional Practice

Part One

Abstract

Relaxation therapy techniques and mindfulness meditation are clinical intervention tools that have demonstrated benefits associated with the reduction of negative psychological states and the enhancement of positive states of mind critical to the alleviation of physical and emotional distress (Jain et al., 2007). Many mind-body therapeutic training workshops are offered in a one-day format; however, there is a gap in the literature examining the direct impact of learning relaxation therapy and mindfulness meditation specific to nephrology social work practitioners, and how, if at all, learning these techniques might assist a practitioner in his/her work. A study was undertaken to examine the influence of a one-day relaxation therapy and mindfulness meditation educational workshop on nephrology social workers’ professional practice. Eight members of the Canadian Association of Nephrology Social Workers with limited previous exposure to mind-body therapeutic approaches participated in this project. Telephone and Skype participant interviews occurred following the workshop on three separate occasions over a period of four months. The key findings from this study suggest that 1) the workshop had an impact on professional practice, 2) the workshop had an impact on self-care, and 3) amid obstacles to implementation, nephrology social workers expressed their desire to expand their current scope of practice to include relaxation therapy techniques and mindfulness meditation with their clients.