Selah: A Mindfulness Guide through Grief

Since the 1990s, a burgeoning number of clinicians have actively engaged in mindfulnessbased interventions (MBI), to improve outcomes both for clients and for themselves. While initial evidence of the effi cacy of MBI was primarily anecdotal (Kabat-Zinn, 1982), the empirical data in its support is gradually mounting in the areas of mindfulness-based stress reduction, dialectical behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (Hoffman, Sawyer, Witt, & Oh, 2010). Yet, despite the potential for its utilization, few mindfulness-based paradigms have been proposed for bereavement counseling. The Selah Grief Model is a mindfulness-based, guided intervention that recognizes two foci: self and other. The term selah itself derives from the Hebrew word celah , often noted in the book of Psalms to remind the reader to pause, refl ect, and contemplate meaning.