Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale to treat people who suffered from relapsing episodes of depression. As the name suggests, MBCT combines cognitive therapy with meditative practices to promote self-awareness of unhelpful patterns of thinking and develop new ways of responding to thoughts, emotions, and actions that perpetuate mood disorders (https://www.mbct.com/).

Mindfulness and meditation are not quite the same thing.

Meditation is a formal practice of mindfulness. Many meditation practices are designed for relaxation purposes, while mindfulness is about bringing awareness to what is present without trying to fix it, control it, or judge it. Mindfulness can be practiced without having to schedule, add, or remove anything from your normal routine. The simple practice of noticing and naming helps regulate your emotions. You can also simply pay attention to ordinary tasks in a different way: pay attention to what's pleasant about it using your five senses.

The definition of mindfulness is paying attention with intention to what's present without judgment.

Mindfulness is not about feeling better or happier - although that may be a bonus consequence! It teaches you to acknowledge the moment you're in without attaching to judgments and exaggerated beliefs about it. People who practice mindfulness can train their brains to be present and engaged even in the face of uncomfortable feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Mindfulness meditation won't fix your life's problems or stop painful things from happening. However, the practice of mindfulness could transform the way that you live. It helps change the way you interact with your world and enhance the richness that you get out of life.

MBCT applies the same principles of cognitive therapy with an emphasis on bringing non-judgmental awareness to thoughts and the physical sensations associated with them. Much like cognitive-behavioural therapy, this approach helps identify patterns of automatic thought processes that ultimately perpetuate suffering. With mindfulness training such as, body scans, diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, and observation practices, one can experience more in-the-present-moment awareness when hurtful automatic thoughts arise. This self-awareness can give you more freedom to choose how you respond to them.

There are an infinite amount of ways you can practice and integrate mindfulness into your life. Some of the more formal practices include: meditation, mindful movement, observing your breath, mindfulness of the five senses, observing thoughts, and body scanning. You can also practice it informally with day-to-day activities, such as paying attention to taste and textures of food, brushing your teeth, and taking a shower.