Mindfulness Meditation in Speech-Language Pathology Intervention: A Review

Abstract

Meditation is a practice in which an individual intentionally allocates their attention in specific ways to elicit improvements in their mental, emotional, or physical state and functioning. As described by Cahn and Polich (2006), many forms of meditation exist; however, the majority are characterized as mindfulness (insight) meditation, concentration-based meditation, or a combination of the two (mind-body meditation). These two types of meditation are primarily differentiated by their intended outcomes and the approach of perspective to achieve those outcomes. Although both involve focused attention, mindfulness meditation is done with a nonjudgmental openness toward all thoughts and emotions that may occur, whereas concentrationbased meditation involves directing all attention towards one’s perception or action during exposure to sensory stimuli or activity (Cahn and Polich, 2006).