Abstract

Growing evidence supports the effectiveness of mindfulness-based practices, including meditation, yoga, and qigong, in clinical settings. Accordingly, mind-body practices (MBPs) are utilized in diverse clinical fields such as medicine, psychology, and nursing. In this context, it is necessary to discuss the roles and attitudes of healthcare professionals who use MBP, an area of study underexplored in prior research. This study aimed to understand healthcare professionals' perspectives on the effectiveness and clinical application of MBP and further suggest their roles and attitudes in clinical settings. Six healthcare professionals with long-term experience in MBP were recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of five themes were generated: 1) building my own practice system, 2) positive experiences gained through MBP, 3) obstacles when applying MBP in clinical settings, 4) a mentor who helps patients’ practice move in the right direction, and 5) efforts to apply the practice in clinical settings. Although healthcare professionals have experienced positive effects of long-term MBP, they recognize its limitations when applying MBP in clinical settings and make various efforts to address them. This study sheds light on attitudes and roles appropriate for healthcare professionals to adopt when utilizing MBP in clinical settings.