Making Mindfulness Work for Trauma Survivors: A Therapist-to-Therapist Conversation

Let’s be real: Most continuing education for counselors is boring as hell. That’s why at Not Boring CEs, we do things differently—like having real conversations about the stuff that actually matters in session. In this one, Allison Puryear (she/her) sits down with Rebecca Ogle, LCSW, to talk trauma-informed mindfulness in a way that’s grounded, practical, and deeply compassionate.

Whether you’re here for CEs for therapists or just trying to deepen your trauma lens, this convo delivers.

Meet Rebecca Ogle, LCSW

Rebecca is a queer, white, cisgender clinical social worker who’s been in the field nearly a decade. She’s known for being warm, funny, and deeply committed to working with trauma survivors, boundary-builders, and those who’ve always felt like the “black sheep.” She practices from an abolitionist, anti-oppressive lens and brings her whole self to the room—and to this conversation.

Why Mindfulness Can Feel So Hard

Mindfulness is everywhere. Your clients are doing Calm app meditations, breathing into paper bags, and trying (often failing) to sit still and clear their minds. But what if mindfulness doesn’t feel good—or even safe?

According to Rebecca, that’s not a failure. That’s trauma.

“For someone with trauma, being in their body might feel like the most dangerous place to be.”

Mindfulness isn’t about relaxing or emptying your mind. It’s about being present—on purpose, without judgment. But for trauma survivors, presence can feel threatening.

Let’s Redefine Mindfulness

Rebecca breaks mindfulness down with a simple definition from Jon Kabat-Zinn:
Paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.

That means:

🎯 Focused attention (not zoning out)
🧠 Intentionality (you choose to be mindful)
🕰 Staying present (in your body, your breath, or the space around you)
🧡 No judgment (even if your mind wanders or your body reacts)

And here’s the twist:

“Mindfulness isn’t about stopping thoughts—it’s about noticing them.”

Common Misconceptions from Clients (and Clinicians)

“I can’t do mindfulness because I can’t clear my mind.”
“I’m not doing it right if I’m not calm.”
“Meditation means sitting still and breathing deeply.”

None of these are required. And believing they are? That’s what keeps people from even trying.

So What Does Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Look Like?

Rebecca shares a handful of powerful adaptations that can make mindfulness feel safer and more accessible:

🪴 Start with Grounding

Before diving into tough topics, offer clients a choice of grounding strategies:

Feel their feet on the floor
Focus on a familiar object
Listen to ambient sounds
Observe their breath (if that feels okay)

Let them know they can return to that anchor anytime.

✨ Always Offer Choices

Instead of leading a single guided meditation, give options:

“Would you rather focus on breath or sound?”
“Do you want to sit with eyes open or closed?”
“Would you prefer movement, like a walk, instead?”

This models autonomy—something trauma survivors have often had taken from them.

🧘‍♀️ Expand the Definition of Practice

Mindfulness doesn’t need to be rigid. It can be:

A mindful walk
Washing dishes with full attention
Five minutes of stretching
A quiet soak in the tub
Even just noticing how the sunlight hits a tree outside your window

Rebecca’s favorite: mindfulness in the hot tub. No shame in that.

What About Clients Who Don’t Want to Try It?

Respect it. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of informed consent—mindfulness is a choice. If it doesn’t feel safe, don’t push it.

That includes:

Clients who dissociate easily
Folks who feel hypervigilant in silence
People with trauma tied to breath or body
Clients with religious concerns about meditation

“Our nervous systems don’t always know the difference between a real threat and a remembered one.”

The Clinician’s Role: Permission, Not Prescription

Here’s where we get tripped up: therapists often feel like we have to “do mindfulness the right way.” But as Rebecca reminds us, the goal isn’t to follow a script—it’s to follow the client.

Let go of:

Black-and-white thinking about what mindfulness “should” look like
The idea that there’s a “perfect” time in session to use it
Assuming your experience of mindfulness will match your client’s

Instead:

Ask open-ended questions about past mindfulness experiences
Normalize that even one minute can help
Use scales (e.g. 0–10) before and after to track emotional changes

Final Thoughts from Allison & Rebecca

Mindfulness isn’t one-size-fits-all. And trauma-informed care means adjusting not just what you do, but how you do it.

Whether you’re offering mindfulness in session or helping clients build it into daily life, the key is choice, safety, and collaboration.

And even if your client only practices it for 30 seconds while walking to the car after work?

That counts.

CE Credits Without the Snoozefest

Want to dive deeper into trauma-informed mindfulness (and not fall asleep while earning your CEs)? Head to Not Boring CEs to get your continuing education for counselors and therapists—without the droning voice and outdated slides.

🎧 Subscribe, leave a review, and send this episode to a fellow therapist who’s trying to do better work without burning out.

Because you deserve continuing education that actually makes you a better clinician—and a better human.

Recommended Resources from Rebecca Ogle, LCSW:

David Treleaven – Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness
Thich Nhat Hanh – Books on engaged mindfulness
Dr. Jennifer Mullins – Decolonizing Therapy
Resmaa Menakem – My Grandmother’s Hands
Jon Kabat-Zinn – Wherever You Go, There You Are + MBSR framework

Insight Timer App – For guided meditations and tracking