Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

MBCT was originally designed to help people suffering with recurrent bouts of depression and chronic unhappiness. Over time it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of other mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders. There is also some evidence of its efficacy in developing powers of concentration in people with Attention Deficit Disorder.

MBCT combines the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy with meditative practices and attitudes. It increases our self-awareness and teaches us to observe - rather than get caught up in - our thought processes. We are encouraged to take an impartial bystander's view on the thoughts that race backwards and forwards through our minds. Being mindful in meditation means paying attention in a particular way to our internal world, purposefully, in the present moment and non-judgementally. It is not about stopping thoughts or emptying the mind, but about accepting and detaching from what is there through meditative practice.

MBCT was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale, based on Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program.