Quick Overview: Yes. The National Institute of Mental Health states that elements of psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including meditation and breathing exercises. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes mindfulness as present-moment awareness without judgment. It describes relaxation techniques as practices that help bring about the body’s relaxation response. NIMH also states that therapists may use one primary approach or incorporate elements from multiple approaches.
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, refers to a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. NIMH explains that psychotherapy may involve different elements, depending on the therapist’s training, the disorder being treated, and the needs of the person receiving treatment.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Are Related but Different Practices
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques may both appear in discussions of psychotherapy, but they are described differently by NCCIH.
Mindfulness involves maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments. Meditation is a broad term for a variety of practices focused on mind-and-body integration. Some meditation practices involve mental focus on breathing, a sound, a visual image, or a repeated word or phrase. Other forms of meditation include mindfulness.
Relaxation techniques are practices that help bring about the body’s relaxation response. NCCIH describes that response as involving slower breathing, lower blood pressure, and a reduced heart rate. The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response.
Examples of Relaxation Techniques
NCCIH lists several types of relaxation techniques, including progressive relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery, biofeedback-assisted relaxation, self-hypnosis, and breathing exercises.
Progressive relaxation, also called progressive muscle relaxation, involves tensing different muscles and then releasing the tension. Guided imagery involves picturing objects, scenes, or events associated with relaxation or calmness and attempting to produce a similar feeling in the body. Breathing exercises may involve focusing on slow, deep breaths.
How These Elements Can Appear in Psychotherapy
NIMH includes mindfulness and relaxation techniques among possible elements of psychotherapy. It identifies meditation and breathing exercises as examples.
NIMH also describes other possible psychotherapy elements. These can include helping a person become aware of automatic ways of thinking that may be inaccurate or harmful, questioning those thoughts, understanding how thoughts affect emotions and behavior, and changing self-defeating behavior patterns. NIMH identifies this approach as cognitive behavioral therapy.
Other elements described by NIMH include identifying ways to cope with stress, developing problem-solving strategies, examining interactions with others, teaching social and communication skills, tracking emotions and behaviors, and using supportive counseling to explore troubling issues and receive emotional support.
NIMH states that therapists may use one primary approach or incorporate elements from multiple approaches. A preliminary conversation can be a place to ask how treatment will proceed, what approach may be used, and the rationale and evidence base for that approach.
Practice Note: Rooted Integrative Therapy offers individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives. Its FAQs describe scheduling a consultation call as a first step, with an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit.
Research Context for Mindfulness and Relaxation
NCCIH discusses research on meditation and mindfulness across a range of topics. It notes that much of this research has been preliminary or not scientifically rigorous. Studies have examined many different types of meditation and mindfulness practices, and their effects can be difficult to measure. NCCIH states that results have therefore been difficult to analyze and may have been interpreted too optimistically.
NCCIH also states that meditation and mindfulness practices are usually considered to have few risks. At the same time, it notes that few studies have examined potentially harmful effects, so definite statements about safety are not possible.
Research discussed by NCCIH on relaxation techniques varies across topics, techniques, and study quality. When reading about mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation, it can be useful to note which practice is being discussed and what the research examined.
Reflection Questions for Exploring the Topic
| Reflection question | Source-grounded context |
|---|---|
| What do I mean when I use the word “mindfulness”? | NCCIH describes mindfulness as present-moment awareness without judgment. |
| Am I asking about meditation, relaxation techniques, or both? | NCCIH describes meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques in distinct ways. |
| Would I like to ask about meditation or breathing exercises? | NIMH lists meditation and breathing exercises as examples of mindfulness and relaxation techniques in psychotherapy. |
| What would I like to understand about the approach being discussed? | NIMH suggests asking what approach a therapist will use and the rationale and evidence base for it. |
| What questions do I have about therapy goals and progress? | NIMH identifies therapy goals and progress assessment as topics for a preliminary conversation. |
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
- How do you describe mindfulness and relaxation techniques in your work?
- What approach may be used, and what is the rationale and evidence base for it?
- Are meditation or breathing exercises practices you may discuss?
- What are the goals of therapy, and how will progress be assessed?
- Do you recommend a particular time frame or number of sessions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can psychotherapy include mindfulness and relaxation techniques?
Yes. NIMH states that elements of psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including meditation and breathing exercises.
What is mindfulness in psychotherapy?
NCCIH describes mindfulness as maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments. NIMH includes mindfulness among possible elements of psychotherapy.
What are relaxation techniques in therapy?
NCCIH describes relaxation techniques as practices that help bring about the body’s relaxation response. Examples include progressive relaxation, guided imagery, biofeedback-assisted relaxation, self-hypnosis, and breathing exercises.
Are mindfulness and relaxation techniques the same thing?
NCCIH provides different descriptions. Mindfulness involves present-moment awareness without judgment. Relaxation techniques are practices that help bring about the body’s relaxation response.
Can meditation be included in psychotherapy?
NIMH lists meditation as an example of a mindfulness or relaxation technique that can be included among psychotherapy elements.
Sources and Further Reading
Sources used for this article:
- National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies
- nccih.nih.gov: Meditation And Mindfulness Effectiveness And Safety
- nccih.nih.gov: Relaxation Techniques What You Need To Know
A Grounded Next Step
Rooted Integrative Therapy lists Alina Hovsoyan and offers in-person services near Orem and Provo, with virtual therapy across Utah. The practice’s Connect page invites inquiries and appointment requests using its contact details or form.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.
This article is for general education only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for individualized mental-health care. A qualified mental-health professional can help you consider what fits your circumstances.