Mindfulness

What Is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy?

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive therapy, meditation, and the cultivation of a present-oriented, non-judgmental attitude called "mindfulness."​¹

MBCT was developed by therapists Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale, who sought to build upon cognitive therapy. They felt that by integrating cognitive therapy with a program developed in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn called mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), therapy could be more effective.¹

How does MBCT work?

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy builds upon the principles of cognitive therapy by using techniques such as mindfulness meditation to teach people to consciously pay attention to their thoughts and feelings without placing any judgments upon them.² There are several mindfulness techniques and exercises that are utilized as a part of MBCT. Some of these include:

• Meditation: People may practice guided or self-directed meditation that helps them gain a greater awareness of their body, thoughts, and breathing.
• Body scan exercise: This involves lying down and bringing awareness and attention to different areas of the body. People usually begin at their toes and move up through the body until they reach the top of the head.
• Mindfulness practices: Mindfulness involves become more aware of the present moment. It's something that can be practiced during meditation, but people can also incorporate these activities into the things they do every day.
• Mindfulness stretching: This activity involves stretching mindfully to help bring awareness to both the body and mind.
• Yoga: MBCT may also encourage people to practice different yoga poses that can help facilitate mindful stretching of the body.

People might be taught what's known as the "three minute breathing space technique," which focuses on three steps, each one minute in duration:

• Observing your experience (How are you doing right now?)
• Focusing on your breath
• Attending to your body and physical sensations

Other MBCT techniques include walking and sitting meditations, sitting with thoughts, and sitting with sounds.

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What Can MBCT Help With?

Research suggests that MBCT can be effective for helping individuals who have experienced multiple episodes of depression. While it was originally developed to treat depression, it has also been shown to be effective for other uses including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression associated with medical illnesses
• Low mood
• Unhappiness
• Depression-relapse prevention
• Treatment-resistant depression

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