Quick Overview: Yes. The National Institute of Mental Health states that psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including meditation and breathing exercises. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes mindfulness as maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments. These descriptions establish that mindfulness practices may be included in psychotherapy; they do not establish what a particular therapist will use, what an appointment will include, or what will fit a particular person.
What Mindfulness Means in This Context
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes mindfulness as maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments. In this article, present-moment awareness refers to that description.
The same organization describes meditation as a variety of practices focused on mind and body integration. Some meditation practices involve mental focus on a sensation such as breathing, a sound, a visual image, or a repeated word or phrase. Other forms of meditation include mindfulness.
These definitions can clarify language, but they do not describe every person’s experience of mindfulness. They also do not establish that a particular psychotherapy provider uses mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises.
Mindfulness Programs Can Use More Than One Element
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that programs teaching meditation or mindfulness may combine those practices with other activities. It gives mindfulness-based stress reduction as an example of a program that teaches mindful meditation and also includes discussion sessions and other strategies for applying learning to stressful experiences.
The organization also states that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy integrates mindfulness practices with aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy. These examples describe named approaches and programs; they do not show that every use of mindfulness in psychotherapy follows the same structure.
How Mindfulness May Be Included in Psychotherapy
The National Institute of Mental Health describes psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, as a variety of treatments that aim to help a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Its description of psychotherapy includes mindfulness and relaxation techniques among possible elements, with meditation and breathing exercises as examples.
This supports a limited, plain answer: mindfulness practices can be part of psychotherapy. It does not mean they are part of every psychotherapy approach, every appointment, or every individual therapy experience.
The National Institute of Mental Health states that therapists may use one primary approach or incorporate elements from multiple approaches depending on their training and experience, the condition being treated, and the needs of the person receiving treatment. A conversation with a prospective therapist can therefore focus on how that therapist describes their approach and whether mindfulness or relaxation techniques are part of it.
Questions Can Clarify the Meaning of “Mindfulness”
The available information does not establish a single way that a therapist will use the term “mindfulness.” A respectful question can create clarity without assuming that a practice will be included.
For example, a person might ask whether the therapist uses mindfulness as a general concept, meditation, breathing exercises, or part of another psychotherapy approach. They may also ask about the therapist’s rationale and evidence base for the approach used. The National Institute of Mental Health identifies these as appropriate topics for a preliminary conversation with a prospective therapist.
Reflection Questions About Present-Moment Awareness
The questions below are for reflection. They do not determine whether a mindfulness practice belongs in a particular person’s care.
| Reflection question | Question to explore further |
|---|---|
| What does “present-moment awareness” mean to me? | How does the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health define mindfulness? |
| When I hear “mindfulness,” what practice am I imagining? | Am I thinking about meditation, breathing exercises, or something else? |
| What would I want explained before mindfulness is discussed in psychotherapy? | How does the therapist define the practice in their approach? |
| What goals would I want to discuss in psychotherapy? | How might the therapist describe goals and assess progress? |
| What questions do I have about the therapist’s approach? | What is the rationale and evidence base the therapist describes? |
Mindfulness in Individual Therapy
For someone considering individual therapy, it may be useful to ask directly whether mindfulness is part of the therapist’s approach. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests asking prospective therapists what approach they use, whether they practice a particular type of therapy, the rationale and evidence base for that approach, and what goals therapy may have.
The same source states that a preliminary conversation can help a person understand how treatment will proceed and whether they feel comfortable with the therapist. That general statement does not establish the content, format, or scope of a consultation at any specific practice.
Practice Note: Rooted Integrative Therapy Services
Rooted Integrative Therapy lists individual therapy, couples therapy, group therapy, and therapy intensives among its services. Alina Hovsoyan, LCSW, is listed by the practice. The practice states that it provides in-person therapy near Orem and Provo and virtual therapy across Utah.
The practice’s FAQs describe scheduling a consultation call as a first step, with an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit. Its Connect page invites inquiries and appointment requests through its contact details or form. The published service list does not, by itself, establish whether mindfulness practices are included in a particular service.
Questions to Bring to a Consultation
- When you use the term “mindfulness,” what do you mean?
- Is mindfulness or a relaxation technique part of your psychotherapy approach?
- What might meditation or breathing exercises involve in your work?
- What is the rationale and evidence base for the approach you use?
- What goals might be discussed, and how might progress be assessed?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can psychotherapy include mindfulness practices?
Yes. The National Institute of Mental Health states that psychotherapy can include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, including meditation and breathing exercises. This does not establish what a particular therapy appointment will include.
What is present-moment awareness?
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes mindfulness as maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments.
Does every individual therapy experience include mindfulness?
The available information does not support that conclusion. Mindfulness can be an element of psychotherapy, but the sources do not state that it is included in every approach or appointment.
Can research determine whether mindfulness will fit me?
No. The research notes for this article do not determine personal fit or outcomes for an individual reader.
How can I contact Rooted Integrative Therapy?
The practice’s Connect page invites inquiries and appointment requests through its contact details or form. Its FAQs describe a consultation call as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit.
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.
Sources and Further Reading
Sources used for this article:
- National Institute of Mental Health: Psychotherapies
- nccih.nih.gov: Meditation And Mindfulness Effectiveness And Safety
A Grounded Next Step
If you would like to ask about Rooted Integrative Therapy’s services or request an appointment, visit the Connect page. A consultation call is described by the practice as an opportunity to ask questions and consider fit.
Please do not include urgent or highly sensitive clinical information in a general inquiry.