Birdsong and footprints: tangibility and intangibility in a mindfulness research project

In this paper we attempt to describe and reflexively consider our journey through a particular qualitative health research project as experienced within a practitioner–researcher partnership. Our particular partnership was between a clinical psychologist and a conversation analyst who came together to explore participants’ experiences of a mindfulness‐based self‐help group. Using extracts from participant interviews and actual self‐help group discussion we tell our story, in order to practically demonstrate the challenges that arose. We consider the impact of mindfulness on the research process itself, in particular notions of tangibility and intangibility that were made increasingly relevant within our partnership.