Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MBCT) is a structured program that educates individuals on their thoughts and how to recognize them. This can help people learn to live with anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns peacefully instead of fighting them; additionally, MBCT encourages them to replace negative thought patterns with positive ones.
MBCT can be beneficial for individuals who are willing to commit to group sessions. It is often employed in treating depression, but may also prove effective for other conditions.
This type of therapy emphasizes mindfulness, or being present in each moment without judgment. It uses breathing meditations, sitting meditations, body scan meditations and yoga to hone these mindfulness skills.
A study conducted in 2000, the first clinical trial of mindful cognitive behavioral therapy, revealed that people diagnosed with depression reported less depressive symptoms and fewer negative thoughts after an eight-week program. Most participants also experienced significant relief from their symptoms once treatment had ended.
When looking for a therapist for Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it’s essential that they be trained in this type of therapy and have experience working with clients who struggle with depression or other mental health issues. An online MBCT therapist could be particularly advantageous as you can meet with them from home or at a convenient time that works with your schedule.
The MBCT model consists of four stages: Clarification of Values, Visioning, Cognitive Appraisal and Integration of Learning. The first stage focuses on clarifying values and creating personal value-based goals. Clients use mindfulness techniques to determine their core beliefs about themselves and whether or not they’re healthy. They then create a vision for how they want to feel, acquire skillsets and become over time – whether this includes more or less leisure activities.
In the second stage, clients work to internalize their values through meditation exercises and master their automatic appraisals of problems. To do this, they must identify maladaptive schema, irrational core beliefs, and cognitive distortions and then work on restructuring them into more adaptive patterns.
The third stage is about applying what has been learned from previous steps, meaning clients must continue to utilize their newly acquired abilities in everyday life. To do this, they can repeat a mindfulness process that emphasizes focusing on desired goals and how they wish to feel and act towards achieving them.
Though this step can be challenging, the rewards for clients who succeed are immense. Becoming more authentic and true to themselves allows for greater healing, which is essential in the healing process.
In addition to relieving anxiety and depression, mindful cognitive behavioral therapy can also decrease stress, promote sleep quality, and regulate emotional regulation. It may even result in improved social functioning as well as an enhanced sense of self-worth that may have longlasting impacts on your life.
