Centering and counselor empathy: Examining the moderating effects of nondual awareness

Abstract

Centering is a contemplative practice derived from centering prayer. In the context of counseling, our study explores centering as an intervention to enhance counselors’ empathy. Additionally, we investigate the moderating influence of nonduality, particularly bliss, on the changes in empathy over time. Through a randomized controlled trial involving counseling graduate students across the United States, we measured empathy and nonduality. Following a 4-week centering meditation treatment, the initial growth curve model revealed a statistically significant and sustained increase in empathy (p < 0.001). The second model underscored the significance of the three-way interaction between group, time, and nondual bliss, indicating a time-varying moderating effect on empathy. This research has practical implications for counseling and counselor training, endorsing centering meditation as a valuable tool for grounding counselors pre- and post-sessions and providing avenues for future exploration and application.