Taylor Mair

Intervention Protocol

RECTH 4330

4/21/2021
Program Title:
Mind-Body Interventions.
Population:
Teenagers of any gender aged 12-18 with a mental health diagnosis.
Setting:
Group setting.
General Program Purpose:
The overall purpose for the Mind-Body Intervention Program is to provide teenagers diagnosed
with a mental health disorder ways to increase mindfulness, improve self-acceptance, and
improve emotional regulation. Through participating in this program, clients will be able to
transfer the skills they learn into their daily lives.
Description of Program:
This program is designed for teenagers between the ages 12-18 diagnosed with a mental health
disorder. The Mind-Body Interventions Program is conducted in a group environment facilitated
by a Recreational Therapist, licensed in the state of Utah. This program will take place at the
Copper Hills Youth Center for 1 hour, 1X a week, for 3 months. Clients will learn about and
participate in Mind-Body Interventions focused on increasing their mindfulness, improving their
self-esteem/acceptance, and assisting them with emotional regulation.
Client Problems to be Addressed (2):
 Poor self-esteem/acceptance
 Poor Emotional Regulation
 Poor Mindfulness
Expected Program Outcomes:
• Clients will have a knowledge of Mind-Body Interventions that increase their self-esteem
by the end of the program.
• Clients will have the ability to utilize Mind-Body Interventions learned to assist them in
emotional regulation by the end of the program.
• Clients will have a knowledge of Mindfulness and ways to increase their own
Mindfulness by the end of the program.
Referral Criteria:
Clients must be a resident at Copper Hills Youth Center to sign up and participate in this
intervention. Clients can be referred to the program by therapists, physicians, Occupational
Therapists, Recreational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and other members of the
interdisciplinary teams employed by Copper Hills Youth Center.
Contraindicated Criteria:
 • Individuals who frequently physically harm themselves or others will need to be assigned
one on one with a Recreational Therapist for the safety of themselves and others in the
program.
• Individuals who frequently elope will participate away from open doors or windows.

Intervention:
Mindfulness Meditation
Opening:
• The Recreational Therapist will welcome the clients to the intervention and complete
introductions.
a) Each individual will state their preferred name, and one emotion they are feeling today.
• The Recreational Therapist will go over the rules for group therapy.
1. Keep hands and feet to self.
2. Use inside voices.
3. Respect others
• The Recreational Therapist will introduce the intervention activity and explain the
purpose of the intervention to the clients.
a) The Recreational Therapist will introduce Mindfulness Meditation and some of its
history.
b) The Recreational Therapist will provide information on benefits of Mindfulness
Meditation.
• The Recreational Therapist will encourage everyone to sit on their yoga mats to prepare
for the intervention to begin.
Body:
• The Recreational Therapist will set a timer for 20 minutes.
• The Recreational Therapist will begin playing calming background music.
• The Recreational Therapist will encourage clients to not be discouraged by a wandering
or distracted mind and ask them to redirect themselves when necessary.
• The Recreational Therapist will prompt the clients to focus on their breathing.
• The Recreational Therapist will begin reading from a Mindfulness Meditation Script.
a) The Recreational Therapist will closely monitor clients throughout the intervention to
ensure safety and proper technique.
• The Recreational Therapist will complete the Mindfulness Meditation Script and
encourage everyone to sit back in their chairs.
Processing:
• The Recreational Therapist will encourage processing by asking the group the following
questions:
a) How did you feel during Mindfulness Meditation?
b) What can you apply to your life that you learned about today?
Closing:
• The Recreational Therapist will begin wrapping up the intervention by asking if anyone
has any other questions or comments.
• The Recreational Therapist will thank everyone for attending and participating.
• The Recreational Therapist will dismiss the clients to their next scheduled activity.
Risk Management Considerations:
 Sharps
 Allergies
 Physical Limitations
 Open/unlocked doors and windows
Program Evaluation:
• During each intervention, the Recreational Therapist will make physical observations on
everyone. These observations might include participation, maladaptive behaviors, or
impulsive behaviors. Recreational Therapists may take physical notes if needed during
the intervention to ensure appropriate recall. At the end of each intervention the
Recreational Therapist will include the observed assessment in the appropriate
documentation for the facility. The Recreational Therapist will pass along any important
news along to other members of the interdisciplinary teams.
• At the end of each intervention, the Recreational Therapist and the clients will discuss
what they just did. Each group member will then fill out an intervention evaluation
survey.

Staff Training/ Certification Requirements:

• Recreational Therapists must be licensed with a TRS or an MTRS in the state of Utah.
• Recreational Therapist must complete a Basic Life Skills training through the American
Heart Association.
• Recreational Therapists must complete any quarterly or annual trainings required by
Copper Hills Youth Center
Signature/Credentials/Date:
T. Mair, RT Student
4/21/2021
 References

Gordon, S. (2021). Interview with Sasha Gordon [In person].

 Mindfulness Meditation was chosen as a Mind-Body Intervention for teenagers with a

mental health diagnosis due to its ability to increase self-esteem/ awareness, increase

mindfulness, and increase emotional regulation. “Mindful awareness, which is effectively

cultivated through the practice of meditation, is an attribute of consciousness consisting of being

attentive to and aware of present-moment events and experiences; this generally occurs with a

non-judgmental attitude of openness and acceptance, in which activated self-feelings, thoughts,

and sensations are not attempted to be changed by the perceiver but are instead observed and

accepted (Campanella, F., Crescentini, C., Urgesi, C., & Fabbro, F., 2014).”

The client participated in today’s Mindfulness Meditation intervention as part of Copper

Hills Youth Center’s Recreational Therapy Department’s Mind-Body Interventions Program.

The client promptly arrived at the intervention on time and sat down in his chair. During

introductions, the client stated his name and that he was feeling “bothered” today and engaged in

some negative self-talk stating that this activity won’t help him because he isn’t “smart enough

to understand it”. This individual is diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder as well as

Generalized Anxiety Disorder and struggles with regulating his emotions and poor self-esteem.

According to a journal article titled Pull Yourself Together: Meditation Promotes Congruence

Between Implicit and Explicit Self-Esteem, “’…promoting congruence in implicit and explicit

self-esteem meditation may serve important self-regulatory functions’ (Koole, S., Govorun, O.,

Cheng, C., & Gallucci, M., 2009).” He was referred to this program by his psychiatrist to assist

him in issues he experiences in relation to his diagnosis. Some of the expected outcomes for this

individual would be increasing self-awareness/acceptance and improving his emotional

regulation.
 No modifications of the meditation intervention were necessary due to everyone’s

physical, emotional, and cognitive abilities to fully engage in the intervention. The client actively

participated by remaining quiet and listening to the Recreational Therapist read the script. Once

the meditation process was complete, the individual shared that they enjoyed the act of thinking

about things that upset them and imagining them disappearing in the wind. The client did not

partake in any negative self-talk during the processing questions and closing of the intervention.

Based on the client’s engagement in negative self-talk and expression of low self-esteem,

the client should continue participating in the Mind-Body Interventions program. Continuation of

this program will give them more opportunities to work on their personal goals and objectives.

Taylor Mair, RT Student

4/21/2021
 References

Campanella, F., Crescentini, C., Urgesi, C., & Fabbro, F. (2014). Mindfulness-oriented

meditation improves self-related character scales in healthy individuals. Comprehensive

Psychiatry, 55(5), 1269-78.

http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.03.009

Koole, S., Govorun, O., Cheng, C., & Gallucci, M. (2009). Pulling Yourself Together:

Meditation Promotes Congruence Between Implicit and Explicit Self-Esteem. Journal Of

Experimental Social Psychology, 45(6).

Schreiner, I., & Malcolm, J. (2008). The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation: Changes in

Emotional States of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. Behaviour Change, 25(3), 156-168.

doi:10.1375/bech.25.3.156