Do Contemplative Practices Promote Trauma Recovery? A Narrative Review from 2018 to 2023.

A narrative review of 42 studies found that contemplative practices—including mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and meditation—can reduce trauma-related symptoms such as reactivity, intrusion, hyperarousal, and negative cognitions and mood in both adults and youths. Mindfulness was the most studied approach. Evidence on avoidance symptoms and physiological measures was mixed. The authors suggest combining contemplative practices with trauma-focused psychotherapy to improve emotional expression, awareness of fear and shame, and metacognitive processes, thereby supporting healing of the self and restoring trust.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Background: Contemplative practices encompass a variety of static and dynamic practices. These practices, by fostering insights, heightened awareness, and a deeper connection to a broader framework of meaning, may play a crucial role in significantly reducing trauma-related symptoms in both young and adult populations. Methods: The current narrative literature review used Scopus and PubMed to search for studies published between January 2018 and August 2023 that examined the effects of contemplative practices, an umbrella term that includes mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and meditation, on trauma recovery and PTSD symptoms among adults and youths. Results: The literature search identified 281 articles. Forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were critically evaluated. Among the various approaches, encompassing stand-alone contemplative practices and combined interventions, mindfulness emerged as the most employed and investigated practice for supporting trauma recovery. Contemplative practices have been shown to effectively reduce various dimensions of traumatic experience, such as reactivity, intrusion, hyperarousal, and negative cognitions and mood. Controversial results were found on avoidance symptoms and physiological parameters. Conclusions: The results give support to the idea of combining contemplative practices with trauma-focused psychotherapeutic interventions to foster a sense of safety and enhance emotional expression and awareness of feelings of fear, shame, guilt, or inferiority while improving metacognitive processes. This, in turn, supports healing the sense of self, restoring a sense of basic trust in self and others, which is often deeply affected in individuals who have experienced trauma.