MBCT
Core Mechanism
Mindful awareness of depressive cognitive patterns enables decentering and prevents ruminative relapse spirals
Ontology
Depressive relapse maintained by reactivation of ruminative cognitive patterns triggered by low mood
Therapeutic Voice
"Notice the thought arriving — not as truth, but as a mental event. Thoughts are not facts."
View of the Person
A ruminative mind that can learn to observe its own patterns without being captured by them
Evidence
NICE: recommended for recurrent depression. APA Div 12: Strong Research Support
10+ RCTs
Kuyken et al. (2016) IPD meta-analysis
Very strong evidence for preventing relapse (3+ episodes). Comparable to maintenance antidepressants.
Conditions
Epistemology
Blind Spots
Primarily relapse prevention — not first-line for acute depression; requires meditation capacity some clients lack
Contraindications
Acute depressive episode (designed for remission, not acute phase), active suicidality, active psychosis, severe dissociation where mindfulness may trigger depersonalization, acute trauma
Training
Licensed clinician with CBT competency. Personal mindfulness practice (1+ year daily practice) and MBCT participation as prerequisite. Training through Oxford Mindfulness Centre, UC San Diego, or equivalent.
Oxford Mindfulness Centre, UC San Diego, and other recognized programs offer teacher training and certification pathways.
6–12 months formal teacher training; prerequisite: 1+ year personal mindfulness practice + MBCT group participation
$3K–8K for teacher training; retreat costs additional
Philosophical Roots
Buddhist psychology (mindfulness, non-attachment to thoughts); Husserl (epoché — suspending natural attitude); Kabat-Zinn (secularized dharma); Teasdale (interacting cognitive subsystems)
Related Modalities
Test Yourself
How does MBCT prevent relapse?
Show answer
Recognizing early warning signs; relating to thoughts as mental events rather than entering ruminative spirals.