Did you know that practicing mindfulness in a group has been shown to produce better outcomes than practicing alone?* The popular press frequently touts the health benefits of mindfulness, but rarely states that those benefits are almost always gained in group settings.

If you've been practicing mindfulness on your own using recordings or an app, consider joining a class.

In contrast to solo practice, a group mindfulness class can:

• foster the deep connection that is often missing in our fast-paced world

• help us feel less alone in our suffering

• build feelings of empathy, belonging, and acceptance

• help us practice more consistently

• dispel unhelpful notions of what mindfulness is or should be

• take our practice deeper as we learn from each other

• draw on the realtime expertise of a trained mindfulness teacher

The group effect may be particularly important for people with voice disorders. Many patients, particularly those with severe voice problems, do not know anyone else with similar struggles. They may need to limit their voice use, which can lead to social isolation. Some may experience job loss or may need to work in a solitary environment that does not require talking. Practicing meditation with other voice disorder patients can reduce feelings of isolation and build a sense of solidarity.

Does the group effect translate to Zoom? Researchers are looking into it and the answer seems to be yes. Personally, I have participated in mindfulness classes both in person and on Zoom, and I found both highly effective. An added benefit of Zoom is that it can connect groups of people — those with voice disorders, for example — who share similar struggles but would be too geographically dispersed to gather in person.

I am in the process of completing an IRB-approved research study of the effects of mindfulness in people with voice disorders. As I work toward gathering and analyzing the data, I am also planning additional mindfulness classes.

*In Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes, the group effect is said to account for 7% of measurable positive outcomes. In the world of psychological research, that's considered a very large percentage.

Imel, Zac & Baldwin, Scott & Bonus, Katherine & Maccoon, Donal. (2008). Beyond the individual: Group effects in mindfulness-based stress reduction. Psychotherapy research : journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. 18. 735-42. 10.1080/10503300802326038.