The Effects of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Zen retreat on healthcare workers

Background Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) integrates mindfulness and dialectics, yet the contribution of a residential Zen-style mindfulness retreat for clinicians has seldom been evaluated. Methods We conducted a nonrandomized controlled study with 212 DBT-trained mental health professionals (Retreat = 120; Control = 92). The intervention was a 5-day, silent residential retreat with intensive formal and informal mindfulness practice; controls listened to daily Dharma, without meditation, over the same period. Self-report outcomes were assessed pre and post intervention. Results Relative to controls, the retreat produced greater increases in self-compassion areas such self-kindness (Δ = 0.87 vs 0.26, d = 0.43, p = .001), common humanity (0.97 vs − 0.12, d = 0.72, p < .001), and mindfulness (0.56 vs 0.01, d = 0.49, p < .001) and larger reductions in negative facets such self-judgment, isolation, over-identification (d = 0.34–0.61, all p ≤ .01). The retreat yielded greater reductions in depression (Δ = −3.15 vs − 0.33, d = 0.55, p < .001) and stress (− 6.78 vs − 0.80, d = 0.92, p < .001). Well-being increased more in the retreat across emotional, social, and psychological domains (d = 0.33–0.61, all p ≤ .012) and situational self-awareness increased substantially (Δ = 4.63 vs − 0.13, d = 0.71, p < .001). Conclusions A 5-day Zen mindfulness retreat produced clinically meaningful improvements both in clinical and wellbeing indexes beyond psychoeducation Dharma talks alone. Findings support the retreat as a beneficial component for DBT-practicing clinicians and could be a protentional promoting training component for DBT.