Virtual mindfulness‐based wellness coaching to support mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Thematic analysis of participants' experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated disruptions adversely impacted physical and mental health. The shift to remote delivery of medical and psychological services provided opportunities to disseminate effective community interventions, unimpeded by needs for local in-person meetings. This study focuses on the responses of older adults to the virtual community Mindfulness-based Wellness Coaching (MBWC) intervention that was delivered by the YMCA of Greater Toronto. We focus on the thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews of 23 participants who were regular attendees. Themes identified pertain to participants perspectives on reasons for attendance, key intervention practices, and benefits. In relation to reasons for attendance, responses indicated the influence of (1) pandemic-related coping difficulties, and (2) prior experiences with meditation-based practices. Responses highlighted in key intervention practices were: (1) regular practice, (2) open and nonprescriptive guidance, and (3) group dialogue. Participants found the intervention effective in supporting mindful attitudes which manifested in increased: (1) interpersonal awareness, (2) intrapersonal awareness, and (3) effective coping. Given the consistent enrolment during the pandemic and participants' perspectives, virtual MBWC is a feasible and scalable mental health intervention.