Interesting facts

Short‑term mindfulness practice enhances the effect of psychotherapy

Mindfulness is the ability to intentionally focus on the present moment, observing thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. The idea itself is not new, as mindfulness practices have long been included in therapeutic programs. But until now, their effectiveness has been studied mainly within the framework of structured courses, although therapists often use individual exercises in their work. The authors say that their study is the first to show exactly how a single short mindfulness practice fits into regular outpatient psychotherapy. A short mindfulness practice at the beginning of each psychotherapeutic session can improve treatment outcomes for adolescents with psychological difficulties. This is the conclusion reached by the team at the Center for Psychological Psychotherapy at Heidelberg University.

The study involved 90 adolescents aged 11 to 19 who were undergoing outpatient treatment for depression, anxiety disorders, or ADHD. They were randomly assigned to three groups. In the first group, each of the 24 therapeutic sessions began with a five‑to‑ten‑minute mindfulness practice: this could be breathing exercises, body scanning, or mindful walking. The second group performed relaxation exercises of the same duration, and the third group did not receive the standard session start.

The results were assessed using questionnaires that the adolescents filled out during and after the therapy course. Psychological symptoms decreased in all three groups — which in itself indicates the overall benefit of the treatment. However, the mindfulness group showed a more pronounced reduction in symptoms than the group without a structured session beginning.

Interestingly, no significant difference was found between mindfulness and ordinary relaxation: both practices were equally effective. The authors interpret this cautiously, as it may be that what is important is not so much the content of the mindfulness practice as the very fact of a calm, structured transition to work.

A separate and perhaps the most important result concerns the therapeutic environment—the quality of the relationship between the client and the therapist, which plays a key role in the course of treatment. The teenagers in the mindfulness group noted that over time they felt increasingly more trust and contact with the therapist. In the group without a structured start, this indicator, by contrast, decreased slightly. At the same time, the therapists themselves did not notice any difference between the groups, meaning that the improvement was recorded on the part of the patients.

“Our study shows that innovative approaches such as short mindfulness practices can be easily integrated into outpatient psychotherapy,” emphasizes Yulia Kalmar, who leads the training program for child and adolescent psychotherapists. “And they have a positive effect, especially for such a vulnerable group as adolescents.”

Published

October, 2026

Updated

October 2026