Loving-Kindness Meditation and Counseling

Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) builds caring and connection by combining present-moment awareness with directing kind feelings toward oneself and others. It enhances attention, acceptance, and self-regulation while emphasizing self-care and interconnectedness. The article argues that LKM is well-suited for counseling to help clients develop healthier relationships with themselves and others.

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Abstract

Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a type of mindfulness-based meditation that emphasizes caring and connection with others. LKM incorporates nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, which enhances attention, presence, acceptance, and self-regulation; it also entails directing caring feelings toward oneself and then others and emphasizes both self-care and interconnectedness. Thus, LKM is suitable for helping clients forge healthy connections with themselves and others. This article examines the use and implications of LKM in counseling.