Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy: Embodied Presence and Inquiry in Practice

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a powerful, evidence-based treatment for depression and other mental health conditions. This groundbreaking professional book provides clinicians with the essential skills they need to deliver MBCT.  

In this book, you’ll discover the foundations of teaching MBCT, guidance on embodied mindful presence (a focused awareness of experience in the moment), the contemplative dialogue known as inquiry, and other strategies for delivering group-based MBCT. You’ll also find scripts, access to audio material, and practice guidelines for you and your clients. Although focused on MBCT, this book can be referenced for use in other mindfulness-based programs.

In addition, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence you need to effectively deliver MBCT and build the foundations of an embodied practice. The book starts with an overview of the MBCT program, before devoting chapters to the structure and skills required for developing competence and best practice. You’ll deepen your understanding and facility in the most challenging elements of MBCT: mindful embodied presence and inquiry.  

You’ll also learn strategies for delivering this therapy to a group; troubleshooting tips; and a chapter on training, mentorship, and maintaining competence. Finally, you’ll find essential information including meditation scripts, tools, and other resources for delivering MBCT.

If you are looking to deepen your practice and ability to teach MBCT, this book—written by renowned MBCT clinicians—is an invaluable addition to your professional library.

Susan Woods, MSW, LICSW, is a clinical social worker and was in clinical practice for many years. She is a senior mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBSR/MBCT) consultant, mentor, trainer, and supervisor, and a professional advisor on various MBCT clinical trials. Susan developed the MBSR and MBCT professional certification programs for the Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute at the University of California, San Diego, where she was principal curriculum consultant and senior guiding teacher. Susan has been teaching MBSR and MBCT for many years. She is a certified MBSR teacher through the Center of Mindfulness and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where she was a teacher. Since 2005, Susan has been leading professional training programs in MBSR and MBCT, and has taught at venues worldwide. She has presented on the clinical application of mindfulness at numerous conferences, and is a published author on the training of health professionals in mindfulness-based skills. Susan is a graduate of the two-year Community Dharma Leaders Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA. She is a certified yoga teacher.
 
Patricia Rockman, MD, is a family physician with a focused practice in mental health. Her clinical areas of expertise include stress and change management, brief solution-focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based programs, specifically mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). She is cofounder and senior director of education and clinical services at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto, ON, Canada, where she delivers and designs mindfulness-based programs, as well as trains and mentors clinicians (she created the MBCT facilitation certificate program, levels 1 and 2). She has delivered numerous workshops and presented at conferences locally, nationally, and internationally on mindfulness in health care and the corporate sector. She is associate professor in the departments of family and community medicine and psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and a part-time staff physician with the Family Health Team at the University Health Network. She is a certified yoga teacher and freelance writer.
 
Evan Collins, MD, is a psychiatrist who is trained in both mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and runs groups in both modalities at Toronto General Hospital and the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto, ON, Canada. In the past, he has assisted in the development of focused MBCT groups for people in cancer recovery and for people living with HIV, as well as for health care worker stress and resiliency. He is senior faculty in the professional development program at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, where he is involved with curriculum development and creating supervision and mentoring policies in the area of mindfulness-based interventions. He is also a mentor of trainees in mindfulness, and has delivered workshops for health care providers and the corporate sector in Canada and the United States. At present, he is involved in research studying the use of MBCT. He is adjunct assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and staff psychiatrist in the Centre for Mental Health at the University Health Network.
 
Foreword writer Zindel V. Segal, PhD, is professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough. He is coauthor of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression and The Mindful Way through Depression.