Mindfulness Based Therapies

Our ambition with this page is certainly not to give an overview of an ever growing trend in therapies of all walks to integrate a mindful approach to complement their core original toolboxes. Among the specialists, there is a debate if mindfulness is a new wave of cognitive therapy or a therapy family itself. We leave the debate to the specialists and simply focus on the fact that for us as well as those with whom we have been practicing so far, mindfulness has brought a sustainability dimension to a more fulfiiling new state of well being that few of the other available therapies have achieved so far. Beyond the treatment of physical pain, field of origin of the development of mindfulness in medicine and therapy, the more and more frequent diseases like depression, food and alcohol addictions, tinitus and burn out are at the center of the attention of mindfulness therapists.

The main added value of mindfulness is that it proposes to move beyond the usual supression and avoidance pendulum.

Here below, we brush very synthetically some features of the main streams. This is only a few trees in a vast forest but they should help you to find your way and expand your horizon if you are interested in knowing more. We have referred to the books we think lay persons can profit more. As usual, reading to gain new perspectives is great but practicing is the key :-). If this is too demanding for you at the present moment, find a group to practice with or join a virtual group on the internet. The act of searching for such a group is already a defining moment to set you on the path of caring for yourself.

MBSR

This is how the developpers of the MBSR program explain it in their brochure 'MBSR is based on a form of meditation known as mindfulness. Mindfulness is a basic human quality, a way to pay wise attention to whatever is happening in your life inwardly and outwardly. Mindfulness is also a practice, a systematic method aimed at cultivating clarity, insight, and understanding. In the context of your health, mindfulness is a way for you to experientially learn to take better care of yourself by exploring and understanding the interplay of mind and body and mobilizing your own inner resources for coping, growing, and healing.'

• Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society (CFM): the CFM was established in 1995 by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The Center is a natural outgrowth of the acclaimed Stress Reduction Clinic founded in 1979 at the UMass Medical School. Under the leadership of Saki Santorelli, EdD, the Center serves a broad international constituency and resides within the Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine in the Department of Medicine

MBCT

Originally Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale have taken as a basis the MBSR 8-week program developped by Jon Kabat-Zinn and adjusted it to fit the need of patient suffering from chronic depression. In the mean time, the MBCT movement has been growing and is developping beyond the treatment of depression as its original focus.

• The Mindful Way Through depression, see how the authors & developpers of the MBCT movement say
• MBCT across the globe: a UK based website with references and information on researchers, thereapists and events world-wide

ACT & RFT

The Association promoting the ACT and RFT therapies define them as follows

ACT 'Developed within a coherent theoretical and philosophical framework, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a unique empirically based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies, together with commitment and behavior change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully as a conscious human being, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting in behavior in the service of chosen values.'

RFT 'Based on Relational Frame Theory, ACT illuminates the ways that language entangles clients into futile attempts to wage war against their own inner lives. Through metaphor, paradox, and experiential exercises clients learn how to make healthy contact with thoughts, feelings, memories, and physical sensations that have been feared and avoided. Clients gain the skills to recontextualize and accept these private events, develop greater clarity about personal values, and commit to needed behavior change.'

• Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: a web with an immense information library, much for therapists, still very friendly for lay persons.
• Get out of your mind into your life*****: Steve Hayes' self-help book, see what Steve says about it