Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Ahead of Print.
Mindfulness and compassion meditation practices have repeatedly been shown to have a positive impact on empathy and prosocial behavior. This study examines the perceived influence of compassion meditation on the psychotherapist’s empathy and clinical practice, beyond benefits already gained from a practice of mindfulness meditation. Three psychotherapists, who had already been practicing regular mindfulness meditation, engaged in compassion meditation training over a 4-week period. Repeated semistructured interviews were conducted before and after the 4-week period, as well as 1 month later. Phenomenological analysis of the interview data showed a perceived influence of compassion meditation on four main aspects labelled as follows: (a) The therapist’s relation to self, (b) Experiencing empathy, (c) Living a therapeutic relationship, and (d) Integrating change. Challenges and other stumbling blocks on these practices on compassion were also addressed by participants. These findings provide evidence for the inclusion of compassion meditation training in psychotherapy training curricula, as well as in burnout-prevention workshops.