Abstract
<p>This article proposes the utilization of mindfulness meditation and other contemplative practices to help mitigate the challenges experienced by novice counselors when working with clients for the first time, namely, performance anxiety and an excessive self-focus marked by self-doubt, self-criticism, and fear of making a mistake. The author specifies forms of contemplative practice that have been used in counselor preparation and highlights their demonstrated value in developing therapeutic presence, enhancing self-compassion, supporting self-awareness, strengthen active listening and attention skills, and bolstering emotion regulation. The author presents a case study that illustrates the utility and integration of contemplative practice into a practicum course and overviews caveats and considerations of incorporating mindfulness meditation and other contemplative practices into one’s pedagogy.</p>
