Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT
Working in a high-stress environment requires the use of stress-management techniques to mitigate long-term adverse impacts on a service member’s body, mind, and relationships. One such strategy that you can use daily in your work with military families is mindfulness. The Mayo Clinic describes mindfulness as a meditation practice to increase awareness of yourself, and your feelings and emotions in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness reduces stress by incorporating breathing methods to relax the body and mind.
Krick & Felfe (2024) compared different stress management techniques, including mindfulness. Results showed that Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) are superior to traditional stress management interventions such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Practicing Mindfulness can increase positive affect, which is the extent to which someone experiences positive moods such as joy, pride, or enthusiasm. Practicing Mindfulness is a form of self-care. Individuals who practice mindfulness also have decreased reports of physical complaints. Chen et al (2024) reviewed relevant research on the use of mindfulness to treat chronic pain in military populations and demonstrated its effectiveness.
One example of a mindfulness practice is a Grounding Chair Meditation. This can be easily done in person or virtually and with both individuals and groups. Whether you are working directly with service members or their family members, having resources for practicing mindfulness with the whole family can be useful. Zero to Three has developed Mindfulness Practices for Families, including Starfish Breathing, Pleasure Gazing, and the Five Senses Exercise. The Five Senses exercise helps families engage in the present moment through a practice of noticing and increasing awareness of things you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste.
Other great mindfulness resources to share with military service members and their families include The Mindfulness Coach, which provides info for people who may be experiencing emotional distress and for those wanting to maintain healthy coping practices. This app provides strategies to help overcome challenges. It also lets you log exercises to track progress. Also, the Chill Drills app from Military OneSource was specifically developed for the military community with strategies to facilitate calm by slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the level of stress hormones in the body.
Prioritizing mental health and self-care is truly important for those in the military community. Having a set of personalized techniques that work to negate stress is vital for both clients and practitioners alike. Help them be kind to their minds with these mindfulness practices!
Krick, A., Felfe, J. (2024). Comparing the Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention and Progressive Muscle Relaxation in a Military Context. Mindfulness 15, 80–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02281-7
Chen, H. Bing-hua, L., Yi-nuo, D. Zhao-feng, J., Ling-jun, Z., (2024). Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Military Populations with Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jicm.2023.0343
Photo by: fizkes on Adobe Stock
