The Professional Counselor | Volume 14, Issue 3 282 to Week 8. This apparent plateau may be attributed to a ceiling effect, in which the MBSP program’s influence on these dependent variables reached a saturation point (Chyung et al., 2020). Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a unique external factor impacting the study’s results, as previous MBSP studies occurred pre-pandemic. This study was conducted online, mirroring a broader shift toward virtual counseling services (e.g., Zoom) during the pandemic, potentially influencing participant experiences and outcomes (Kadafi et al., 2021). Implications for Counselors In the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs 2016 standards (CACREP; 2015), there’s a notable gap, as few programs teach non-trauma modalities like positive psychology and mindfulness-based practices to address trauma survivor symptoms. The lack of CACREP guidance on crisis, trauma, and disaster counseling has necessitated creative pedagogical approaches to present realistic clinical challenges to CITs in a supportive and safe learning environment (Greene et al., 2016). This could help counselor educators develop innovative wellness tools and support for clients seeking non-pathology–based treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that CACREP establish standards to incorporate these alternative modalities, as the current CACREP standards focus on crisis intervention, trauma-informed, community-based, and disaster mental health strategies. Additionally, counselor educators can teach the MBSP intervention to students, which incorporates mindfulness and the VIA Character Strengths, which have been shown to build strengths, help with anxiety, and increase confidence; likewise, mindfulness can be beneficial during supervision (Evans et al., 2024, Niemiec, 2014). The VIA Character Strengths survey can aid educators in guiding students toward self-awareness of emotions, identifying strength, and identifying theoretical orientations aligning with their values (Sharp & Rhinehart, 2018). The study reveals a positive correlation between relationship satisfaction, mindfulness, and wellbeing scores during the intervention. Adapting the MBSP program to a shorter duration for trauma survivors may be beneficial in future interventions. Existing literature on veterans with PTSD symptoms recommends incorporating wellness-based models like positive psychology in rehabilitation, with consideration for the timing and severity of trauma experiences (Carrola & Corbin-Burdick, 2015). For participants with varying recency and types of traumas, the MBSP program’s impact varied, indicating the importance of trauma processing before non-pathological treatments. Despite statistically insignificant outcomes, the study provides valuable mindfulness skills and character strength utilization for participants, offering practical tools for improving relationships for both clients and counselors. This research contributes insights into tailoring interventions for interpersonal traumas, enabling the development of non-pathological, preventive approaches utilizing positive psychology and mindfulness techniques to enhance the well-being of trauma survivors. Limitations and Directions for Future Research The research study has several limitations, including the use of a quasi-experimental design that posed threats to internal and external validity. The absence of a control group and issues with the relationship satisfaction scale’s design could have impacted the study’s results. Self-report and social desirability biases may have been present, especially among the 33% of respondents who were previous clients of the researcher and first author. The small sample size due to convenience sampling (N = 24) raises concerns about generalizability and the risk of Type II errors. Participant attrition further reduced the sample size and validity. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced confounding factors, as previous studies on the intervention were conducted under
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