SAFETY TOOLBOX CONTENTS

MBSR/MBCT GUIDELINES 2
MBI Teacher Competencies 2
INFORMED CONSENT 2
Scientific Literacy 3
Mindfulness + Secularity: Legal and Ethical Issues 3
Mindfulness and Buddhism- Important Books 3
SCREENING 3
Screening tools 4
Examples of Suicidality Safety Plans 4
Safety Monitoring Guidelines 4
MONITORING 4
Meditation-related Challenges 4
Publications from the Varieties of Contemplative Experience (VCE) Study: 4
Other Scientific articles on meditation-related difficulties, side-effects and harms: 4
Monitoring Tools 5
MECHANISM 5
MANAGEMENT 5
Trauma-informed mindfulness 6
Trauma Basics Error! Bookmark not defined.
Systematic Trauma Error! Bookmark not defined.
Other 7
OTHER RESOURCES: 7
Mental Health First Aid 7
Meditating in Safety 7
Cheetah House 7
MBSR, MBCT, MSC + CCT GUIDELINES

• Crane, R. S., Brewer, J., Feldman, C., Kabat-Zinn, J., Santorelli, S., Williams, J. M., & Kuyken, W.
(2017). What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft. Psychol Med,
47(6), 990-999.
• [BOOK] Crane, R. (2017). Mindfulness -Based Cognitive Therapy: Distinctive Features. Milton
Park: Routledge.
• Cultivating Compassion Training (CCT) group guidelines. Compassion Institute.
• [BOOK] Germer, C., & Neff, K. (2019). Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A
Guide for Professionals. New York: Guilford.
● Kuyken, W., Crane, W., & Williams, J. M. (2012). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
(MBCT) Implementation Resources. Oxford University, University of Exeter, Bangor University.
● Santorelli, S. (2014). "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Standards of Practice." Center for
Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society. University of Massachusetts Medical School.
● Santorelli, S., Meleo-Meyer, F., Koerbel, L., Kabat-Zinn, J., Blacker, M., Herbette, G., &
Fulwiler, C. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Authorized Curriculum Guide.
Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society (CFM), University of
Massachusetts Medical School.
● [BOOK] Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M., & Teasdale, J. (2011). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive
Therapy for Depression (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.
● MBCT Reading and Resource List. Oxford Mindfulness Center. http://oxfordmindfulness.org/for-
you/resources/

MBI Teacher Competencies

● Crane, R. et al. (2013). Development and validation of the mindfulness-based interventions -
teaching assessment criteria (MBI:TAC). Assessment, 20(6), 681-688.
● Crane, R. S. (2011). The UK Good Practice Guidelines for mindfulness-based teachers. Retrieved
02/02/2012, 2011, UK Mindfulness Organizations from http://mindfulnessteachersuk.org.uk/
● https://www.ukmindfulnessnetwork.co.uk/
● Crane, R. S. (2011). The UK Good Practice Guidelines for mindfulness-based teachers. Retrieved
02/02/2012, 2011, from http://mindfulnessteachersuk.org.uk/
● CMRP. (2018). Teacher Training Pathway for teachers of MBSR and MBCT. Center for
Mindfulness Research and Practice. Bangor University.
● Evans, A., Crane, R., Cooper, L., Mardula, J., Wilks, J., Surawy, C., . . . Kuyken, W. (2015). A
Framework for Supervision for Mindfulness-Based Teachers: a Space for Embodied Mutual
Inquiry. Mindfulness, 6, 572-581.
● Huijbers, et al., (2017). Teacher Competence in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for
Depression and Its Relation to Treatment Outcome. Mindfulness, 8(4), 960-972.
● Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M., Teasdale, J. D., Crane, R., Dimidjian, S., Ma, H., . . . Kuyken, W.
(2016). Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy Training Pathway [version 1, Oct 2016]. Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International.

INFORMED CONSENT

Ethics:
● Baer, R. (2015). Ethics, Values, Virtues, and Character Strengths in Mindfulness-Based
Interventions: a Psychological Science Perspective. Mindfulness, 6, 956-969.
 ● [BOOK] McCown, D. (2013). The Ethical Space of Mindfulness in Clinical Practice. In. London:
Jessica Kingsley.
● [BOOK] Monteiro, L.M., Compson, J.F., Musten (Eds) (2017). Practitioner's Guide to Ethics
and Mindfulness-Based Interventions. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64924-5

Scientific Literacy
● Britton, W.B. (2016). (Chapter 5) Scientific literacy as a foundational competency for teachers of
mindfulness-based interventions. In McCown, D., Reibel, D., and Micozzi, MS (eds).Resources
for Teaching Mindfulness: An International Handbook. New York: Springer

● Van Dam, et al., E. (2018). Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for
Research on Mindfulness and Meditation. Perspectives in Psychological Sciences, 13(1), 36-61.
doi:10.1177/1745691617709589

Mindfulness + Secularity: Legal and Ethical Issues

● Kabat-Zinn, J. (2011). Some Reflections on the Origins of MBSR, skillful means, and the trouble
with maps. Contemporary Buddhism (also reprinted as a chapter in the co-edited volume below).
● Brown, C. (2016). Can Secular Mindfulness Be Separated from Religion? In Purser, R., Forbes,
D., Burke, A. (eds.) Handbook of Mindfulness: Culture, Context and Social Engagement.
Switzerland: Springer.
● [BOOK] Brown, C. (2019). Debating Yoga and Mindfulness in Public Schools: Reforming Secular
Education or Reestablishing Religion? . Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.
● Mindfulness in Schools: Best Practices Consensus Statement
● Lindahl, J (2014) Why Right Mindfulness Might Not Be Right for Mindfulness. Mindfulness,
DOI 10.1007/s12671-014-0380-5.
● Masters, B (2014) Would Meditation in Public Schools Survive a First Amendment Establishment
Clause Challenge? UC Davis Law Review
● Ratnayake, S., & Merry, D. (2018). Forgetting ourselves: epistemic costs and ethical concerns in
mindfulness exercises. J Med Ethics. doi:10.1136/medethics-2017-104201
● [BOOK] Vieten, C. and S. Scammell (2015). Spiritual & Religious Competencies in Clinical
Practice: Guidelines for Psychotherapists & Mental Health Professionals. Oakland, CA, New
Harbinger.

Mindfulness and Buddhism- Important Books

● [BOOK] Braun, E. (2013). The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism and the Burmese
Monk Ledi Sayadaw. University of Chicago Press
● [BOOK] McMahan, D. (2008). The Making of a Buddhist Modernism. Oxford.
● [BOOK] McMahan and Braun, eds. (2017). Meditation, Buddhism, and Science. Oxford
● [BOOK] Wilson, J., (2014) Mindful America: The Mutual Transformation of Buddhism
Meditation and American Culture. Oxford.
● [BOOK] Williams, M., and Kabat-Zinn, J. (eds) (2013) Mindfulness: Diverse Perspectives on the
Meaning, Origins and Applications. Routledge

SCREENING

● Dobkin, P., Irving, J., & Amar, S. (2012). For Whom May Participation in a Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction Program be Contraindicated? Mindfulness, 3, 44-50.
 ● Strauss, C., Cavanagh, K., Oliver, A., & Pettman, D. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions for
people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of
randomised controlled trials. PLoS One, 9(4), e96110. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096110

Screening tools
● Assessment and Orientation (Crane-Bangor)
● Britton Screening Template (Britton)
● MBSR + MBCT Exclusion criteria – side by side comparison
● MBCT Exclusion Criteria Explained (Oxford)
● PTSD Checklist
Examples of Suicidality Safety Plans
● Disclosure of Suicidal Thoughts Protocol (Kuyken-Oxford)
● Managing Suicidality (Miller/Britton)

Safety Monitoring Guidelines

Ioannidis et Al (2004) CONSORT Harms Extension

MONITORING
Meditation-related Challenges
Publications from the Varieties of Contemplative Experience (VCE) Study:
[All papers are available at https://www.brown.edu/research/labs/britton/research/varieties-contemplative-
experience]

● Lindahl, J.R., Fisher, N.E., Cooper, D.J., Rosen, R.K., Britton, W.B., (2017). The Varieties of
Contemplative Experience: A Mixed-Methods Study of Meditation-Related Challenges in Western
Buddhists. PLOS ONE.
● Lindahl (2017) Phenomenology Codebook (also in simplified handout version)
● Lindahl (2017) Influencing Factors Codebook
● Lindahl, J.R. (2017) Somatic Energies and Emotional Traumas: A Qualitative Study of Practice-
Related Challenges Reported by Vajrayāna Buddhists. Religions 8(8), 153;
● Lindahl, J.R., C. Kaplan, E. Winget, and W.B. Britton. (2014). A Phenomenology of Meditation-
Induced Light Experiences: Traditional Buddhist and Neurobiological Perspectives. Frontiers in
Psychology, 4, 1-16.
● Britton, W. B., Lindahl, J. R., Cahn, B. R., Davis, J. H., & Goldman, R. E. (2014). Awakening is
not a metaphor: the effects of Buddhist meditation practices on basic wakefulness. Annals of the
New York Academy of Sciences, 1307, 64-81.

Other Scientific articles on meditation-related difficulties, side-effects and harms:

• Anderson, T., Suresh, M., & Farb, N. A. (2019). Meditation Benefits and Drawbacks: Empirical
Codebook and Implications for Teaching. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, Online January 14
2019. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-018-00119-y
● Baer, R., Crane, C., Miller, E., & Kuyken, W. (2019). Doing no harm in mindfulness-based
programs: Conceptual issues and empirical findings. Clinical Psychology Review.
doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2019.01.001
 ● Compson, J. (2018). Adverse meditation experiences: navigating Buddhist and secular
frameworks for addressing them. Mindfulness, 9(5), 1358–
1369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0878-8.
● Cebolla, A., Demarzo, M., Martins, P., Soler, J., & Garcia-Campayo, J. (2017). Unwanted effects:
Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey. PLoS One, 12(9), e0183137.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0183137
● Kuijpers, H., F. van der Heijden, S. Tuinier, and W. Verhoeven. (2007). Meditation-induced
psychosis. Psychopathology, 40, 461-464.
● Lomas, T., T. Cartwright, T. Edginton, and D. Ridge. (2014). A qualitative summary of
experiential challenges associated with meditation practice. Mindfulness, 1-13.
● Lustyk, M., N. Chawla, R. Nolan, and G. Marlatt. (2009). Mindfulness Meditation Research:
Issues of participant screening, safety procedures, and researcher training. Advances in Mind-Body
Medicine, 24, 20-30.
● Reynolds, L., Bissett, I., Porter, D., & Consedine, N. (2017). A brief mindfulness intervention is
associated with negative outcomes in a randomised controlled trial among chemotherapy patients.
Mindfulness, 8(5), 1291–1303.
● Shapiro, D. H., Jr. (1992). Adverse effects of meditation: a preliminary investigation of long-term
meditators. Int J Psychosom, 39, 62-67.
● Johnson, et al., (2016). Effectiveness of a school-based mindfulness program for transdiagnostic
prevention in young adolescents. Behav Res Ther, 81, 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.03.002
● Wong, S., Chan, J., Zhang, D., Lee, E., & Tsoi, K. (2018). The Safety of Mindfulness-Based
Interventions: a Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Mindfulness.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0897-0

Monitoring Tools
● Cambridge Depersonalization Scale
● Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS)
● Window of Tolerance Arousal Scale (Treleaven)
● Combined PCL + CDS for clinical monitoring (Britton)

MECHANISM

● Brewin,et al. (2010). [Dual representation Theory of Traumatic Memories] Psychol Rev, 117(1),
210-232. doi:10.1037/a001811
● Britton, W. B. (2019). Can mindfulness be too much of a good thing? The value of a middle way.
Current Opinion in Psychology, 28, 159-165. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.011
● Lindahl, J.R., C. Kaplan, E. Winget, and W.B. Britton. (2014). A Phenomenology of Meditation-
Induced Light Experiences: Traditional Buddhist and Neurobiological Perspectives. Frontiers in
Psychology, 4, 1-16.
● Engert, V., Kok, B. E., Papassotiriou, I., Chrousos, G. P., & Singer, T. (2017). Specific reduction
in cortisol stress reactivity after social but not attention-based mental training. Sci Adv, 3(10),
e1700495. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1700495

MANAGEMENT
Trauma-informed mindfulness
● [BOOK] Treleaven, D. (2018) Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness. Norton.

● Magyari, T. (2016) Teaching Individuals with Traumatic Stress: Applying a Trauma-Informed

Framework to Teaching MBIs. In McCown, D., Reibel, D., and Micozzi, MS (eds). Resources for
Teaching Mindfulness: An International Handbook. New York:
● [BOOK] Follette, Briere, Rozelle, Hopper, and Rome (eds.).(2014) Mindfulness-Oriented
Interventions for Trauma: Integrating Contemplative Practice, Guilford.
● Compson, J. (2014) Meditation, Trauma and Suffering in Silence: Raising Questions about How
Meditation is Taught and Practiced in Western Contexts in the Light of a Contemporary Trauma
Resiliency Model. Contemporary Buddhism
Trauma Basics

● [BOOK] Boon, S., Steele, K., & van der Hart, O. (2011). Coping with Trauma-Related
Dissociation. New York: Norton.
● [BOOK] Briere, J., & Scott, C. (2014). Principles of trauma- therapy: A guide to symptoms,
evaluation, and treatment (2nd ed., DSM-5 update). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• [BOOK] Herman, J. (1992) Trauma & Recovery: The aftermath of violence- from domestic
violence to political terror. New York: Basic Books.
● [BOOK] Rothschild, B. (2000). The body remembers: The psychophysiology of trauma and
trauma treatment. WW Norton.
● [BOOK] Rothschild, B. (2017). The body remembers volume 2: Revolutionizing trauma treatment.
WW Norton.
● [BOOK] Rothschild, B. (2011). Trauma essentials: The go-to guide. Norton
● [BOOK] van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E., Steele, K (2006). The Haunted Self. Structural
Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization. Norton.
● [BOOK] Van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the
healing of trauma. Penguin.

Systemic Trauma and Contemplative Practice

• Bryant-Davis, T., & Ocampo, C. (2005). The trauma of racism: Implications for counseling,
research, and education. The Counseling Psychologist, 33(4), 574-578.
• [BOOK] Menakem, R. (2017). My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to
Mending Our Hearts and Bodies. Central Recovery Press.
• Franklin, A. J., Boyd-Franklin, N., & Kelly, S. (2006). Racism and invisibility: Race-related
stress, emotional abuse and psychological trauma for people of color. Journal of Emotional Abuse,
6(2-3), 9-30.
• [BOOK] King, R. (2018). Mindful of race: Transforming racism from the inside out. Sounds True.
• [BOOK] Williams, A. K., Owens, R., & Syedullah, J. (2017). Radical Dharma: Talking race,
love, and liberation. North Atlantic.

Other articles and resources:

• A report from the McSilver Institute at NYU on Trauma and Racism:

http://mcsilver.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/reports/Trauma-of-Racism-Report.pdf
Generative Somatics (organization doing trauma work with a systemic analysis):
http://www.generativesomatics.org
 A report from the McSilver Institute at NYU on Trauma and Racism:
http://mcsilver.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/reports/Trauma-of-Racism-Report.pdf
• Racism and PTSD: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culturally-speaking/201305/can-
racism-cause-ptsd-implications-dsm-5
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/magazine/racisms-psychological-toll.html

Other
• Six Anchors meditation (transcript)
• Six Anchors meditation audiofile
• Anderson, T., & Farb, N. A. S. (2018). Personalising Practice Using Preferences for Meditation
Anchor Modality. Front Psychol, 9, 2521.

OTHER RESOURCES:
• First Do No Harm Meditation Training Schedule
• The Varieties of Contemplative Experience Research Project
• ABC News 10% Happier with Dan Harris Podcast

• www.trishmagyari.com. Trauma-informed mindfulness consulting

• Mental Health First Aid

● MHFA International Program Leaflet
● MHFA Adult Program Leaflet
● MHFA introduction video

● Meditating in Safety www.meditatinginsafety.org.uk.

A UK-based organization that aims to “raise awareness of mental health issues in relation to meditation
practice”. Website includes informational leaflets for mindfulness students and teachers, and links to
research articles, person stories, Mental Health First Aid, and other types of training.

● Cheetah House
A Non-profit organization that provides information and resources to support meditators-in-distress,
including individual consultations and support groups. The Cheetah House Facebook page contains
discussions, resources and safety training information. For more information or to be listed on the website
as a clinician offering services to yogis in distress, contact cheetahhouse.org@gmail.com. Cheetah House
also has a Facebook page and a Youtube channel.

email: Cheetahhouse.org@gmail.com
Cheetah House Facebook page
Cheetah House Youtube Channel