Doctoral Student Profile

Jenny Pevreal

Supervisors: Jo Thakker, Judith Macdonald

Mindfulness and other meditation techniques for chronic medical and psychological conditions
My research interests have been driven by personal and professional experiences of when a person’s training in meditation has in some way enhanced their ability to cope with life stressors, including major life crises. Having encountered the diversity of practices that are termed ‘meditation’ across a broad range of both Eastern and Western contemplative traditions, as well as those currently applied in Western clinical contexts (for example, mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and centering prayer), I have developed a growing respect for the remarkable therapeutic benefits that appear possible. The question arises – how do such practices enhance an individual’s adjustment to the stressors in their lives? My research comprises a cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural qualitative exploration of meditation, employing anthropological and psychological analyses of Western scientific literature, Eastern and Western contemplative literature, and meditators’ subjective descriptions of their experiences to elucidate the bio-psycho-social mechanisms that may be involved. A particular focus is the relevance of the therapeutic application of such techniques in a New Zealand clinical context.

If you meditate I’d love to hear from you! You can contact me at jcp8@waikato.ac.nz for more information about what would be involved if you’d like to share your experiences with me.