A non-meditative approach to mindfulness in psychotherapy

Mindfulness is a prominent emerging theory in the field of psychotherapy, both as a base for a clinical practice and a construct that improves the quality of the therapist. Most studies refer to mindfulness described by Jon Kabat-Zinn, one that defines mindfulness as paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally. Mindfulness-based interventions that follow this approach use meditation as the mechanism to increase mindfulness. Dr. Ellen Langer provides an alternative construct that defines mindfulness as a process of actively making new distinctions, rather than relying on entrenched categorizations from the past. Her approach focuses on attention to variability and production of novelty in daily activities, and does not require meditation, with the result that it may be more attractive to those disinclined to meditation practices. The potential of Langer's approach has not been investigated in the psychotherapy research literature. The purpose of this intervention is to explore, from a theoretical perspective, the contribution that Langer's theory can provide in the clinical practice and what are possible research implications.