There are now several mindfulness based therapies. Mindfulness is a secular version of the ancient practice of meditation that is still practised today. The first to be developed was Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This therapy was originally developed by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn at the Masachussets Medical Centre in the US; for people with chronic physical pain who had not responded to other treatments. This therapy is psycho-educational, you will learn how to practice mindfulness techniques focussed on the breath, as well as awareness of physical sensations in the body and the thoughts and feelings connected to them.
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was the next therapy to be developed and this incorporates MBSR and also focusses on the thinking patterns particularly associated with depression. It is an evidence-based therapy which is a recognised treatment for depression in the NICE (national institute of clinical excellence) guidelines.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), builds on MBSR and MBCT but is especially focussed on the treatment of anxiety disorders.
All these therapies have an extensive evidence base and are widely used in the NHS.
Mindfulness Books
This acclaimed work, now in a new edition, has introduced tens of thousands of clinicians to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for depression, an 8-week program with proven effectiveness. Step by step, the authors explain the "whys" and "how-tos" of conducting mindfulness practices and cognitive interventions that have been shown to bolster recovery from depression
