Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

What is MBCT?

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a variation of cognitive therapy in which mindfulness based practices such as meditation and breathing techniques have been incorporated. MBCT practitioners train their clients to break the negative thought cycle that can soon spiral into a depressed state so that they are able to stave off depression before it spreads its tentacles.

Uses of MBCT

MBCT development was undertaken to help prevent relapse in clients presenting with recurring bouts of depression and sadness. Initially, when MBCT was trialed, it proved effective for clients suffering from major depressive disorder who have had at least two relapses of depression. Over time clinical trials have shown MBCT to be useful in treating Generalized Anxiety Disorders, OCD, Adult ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and Hypochondriasis. MBCT trials have also been successful in treating symptoms of depression for clients suffering from physical health conditions such as heart problems and traumatic brain injuries.

What will you learn

As part of MBCT you will learn mindfulness based meditation and principles of cognition, including cognitive distortions, and the relationship between your thoughts and your feelings. You will develop deeper insights into why you enter the depressive thought cycle and how you can break the thinking pattern to come out of depression. You may be given some exercises to do at home that will help you develop a mindfulness based approach to daily activities. We will also guide you about the technology options available to help you incorporate mindfulness in your day to day activities.

Why is MBCT Effective?

Sometimes after we have recovered from depression we again relapse into that state by going through normal emotions of sadness. Through MBCT we are able to change our relationship with sadness or other negative emotions by practicing mindfulness based meditation and other exercises.

Mindfulness activities help re balance our neural networks as they increase our awareness at metacognitive level, helping us fully experience thoughts and emotions that pass through our mind, which may or may not be based on reality.  Mindfulness does not attempt to change our dysfunctional thoughts but helps us experience them as being real in in the moment but separate from our self. Further we are equipped with tools to help us replace the negative thoughts patterns with positive ones.

Do We Use MBCT?

Yes, we do incorporate MBCT in our treatment plan, after understanding the clients situation and forming an agreement about outcomes of therapy with client. MBCT usefulness is weighed in comparison to other therapies such as EMDR, CBT, TF-CBT, Behaviour Therapy, Family Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy to see what will work the best for the client and lead to a fuller recovery. 

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