How effective is MBCT?

The UK National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has endorsed MBCT as an effective treatment for prevention of depressive relapse. It has been evaluated in a multi-centre randomised controlled trial for people who have had at least two episodes of Depression (Teasdale, Segal and Williams, 2000). MBCT was most effective in helping those who had suffered three or more previous episodes of depression; it reduced the risk of relapse. People reported being better able to notice when their negative thoughts were spiralling out of control, and were able to step back from these thoughts. Similar findings resulted from a study by Helen Ma and John Teasdale (2004), which found the same pattern of results.

Contact us
www.awp.nhs.uk To make a comment or suggestion, raise a concern or make a complaint, please contact the Trusts Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

(MBCT) A treatment to help prevent relapse of depression

Tel: 01249 468261 Freephone: 0800 073 1778 Email: pals@awp.nhs.uk

This information can be made available in other formats (for example, Braille) or languages on request by calling the PALS number.

Resources
The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness by Williams, Teasdale, Segal and Kabat-Zinn (2007) The Guilford Press. ISBN: 1-57230-706-4 Mindfulness based cognitive therapy www.mbct.co.uk National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence www.nice.co.uk This is one of a series of information leaflets on psychological therapies for service users. The therapy is described, what it involves, and the kinds of problem it may be helpful for.

Lead: Psychological Therapies Service Manager Leaflet Code: AWP2010-151 Approval Date: August 2010 Review Date: August 2013

What are Mindfulness Based approaches?

Mindfulness is the development of the ability to pay deliberate attention to your experience from moment to moment, with what is going on in your mind, body, and day-to-day life, and doing this without judgement. This might not sound like an obviously helpful thing to do, but learning to do this in a way which suspends judgement and self-criticism can have surprising results. Mindfulness based approaches help people develop skills which can help with daily life challenges and physical and psychological health problems. Mindfulness Based approaches can be introduced in a nonreligious context. The two main approaches that have been developed in recent years are Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Both programmes usually last eight sessions.

years, helping people with a wide range of physical and mental health problems. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy teaches skills to help people step back from habitual automatic unhelpful patterns of thinking. The pattern of mind which makes people vulnerable to depressive relapse is called rumination. This is when the mind repetitively re-runs unhelpful thoughts. MBCT is therefore teaching people to intentionally shift to a different way of being with all kinds of experience. It does not focus on changing or controlling the content of thoughts or other experiences. However, it systematically helps you learn to be more aware of physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings as events that can simply be observed and acknowledged, moment by moment.

of this at the next MBCT session. This regular meditation practice is essential. It is recommended that group facilitators also have an established personal practice of mindfulness so their reflections within the group will be rooted in this experience The sessions also include basic education about depression, and several exercises from cognitive therapy which show the links between thinking and feeling, and how people can look after themselves when depression threatens to overwhelm them.

How may I benefit from MBCT?

It can help you: develop a more helpful relationship with difficult thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations that contribute to depression become more able to notice and allow distressing mood, thoughts and sensations to come and go, without having to battle with them make helpful choices about how you look after yourself Face change and lifes challenges from a calmer place.

What is involved in MBCT?

You will be invited to attend eight weekly classes with other people who have recovered from depression but are at risk of relapse. These involve a range of meditations to help you to become more aware of the present moment, including getting in touch with moment to moment changes in the mind and the body. It also involves using meditation CDs at home to practice between sessions, and being open to the opportunity to reflect on the experience

What is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?

Three renowned clinicians and researchers developed MBCT with the aim of reducing relapse for people who keep experiencing depression. MBCT is based on Jon Kabat Zinns Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre. MBSR has been going for over 25