Grieving a disrupted biography: an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring barriers to the use of mindfulness after neurological injury or impairment

Abstract Background Mindfulness has demonstrated strong utility for enhancing self-management and health outcomes in chronic illness. However, sensation-focused mindfulness techniques may not be appropriate clinical populations with neurological injury. This study aimed to identify how expert teachers sensory loss/impairment naturalistically adapt experience mindfulness. We highlight the rationale barriers practice when living loss. Methods A qualitative, semi-structured interview design was used, analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Eight (5 females, 3 males) injury were recruited a national registry of Health teachers. Interviews (range: 50–93 min) completed, transcribed verbatim idiographically descriptive, linguistic conceptual themes, before cross-case analysis completed. Results Two superordinate themes identified: (1) Overcoming disrupted biography; (2) Proactive self-management. These considered challenge reconciling, through grief, past status present reality loss due Spinal Cord Injury, Multiple Sclerosis or Functional Neurological Disorder. experienced as method by which proactive choices could made maintain control autonomy health, reducing perceptions suffering, psychological distress, cognitive reactivity rumination. Conclusions found support after injury/impairment. meditation presented an initial trauma grief processes (re-)activated during sessions. resolution these encourage adaptive approach-based coping acceptance impairment/injury.