Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Group
Fridays 6:30-8:30pmNew Group Begins Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an eight-week program designed specifically to teach people how to avoid depression relapse and to develop new and effective ways of addressing anxiety.
This Program may benefit you if have:
- Experienced ongoing depression or sadness, low mood or anxiety that comes back over and over.
- Repeated episodes of major depression.
Combining Mindfulness practices and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, MBCT has been clinically-tested in replicated studies and has been shown to be effective in helping to prevent the return of depression. Click for an article on our blog with more info on MBCT
Workshop Details:
Pre-registration with full payment is required prior to the start of the group. (Payment plan option is available).
The overall cost is $700. This includes an initial private screening interview, 8 two-hour sessions, a day of mindfulness training halfway through the course, as well as a workbook and CDs for home practice.
Because of the workshop format and the emphasis on teaching and empowering participants to take control of their own process, this is one of the most cost-effective treatments available for depression.
February 3rd 2012Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Group FAQ's
Who is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for?
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy is for both clients and therapists. This short-term program will teach you about the processes that lead to depression so that you can develop new ways of dealing with them and change the direction of the process. For therapists, working through this week to week program of carefully organized steps in developing awareness, and most importantly experiencing the shifts in thinking, will give you valuable tools to bring to your work.
Is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Effective?
Combining Mindfulness practices and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, MBCT has been clinically-tested in replicated studies and has been shown to be effective in helping to prevent the return of depression (please see the links below).
The evidence from two randomized clinical trials of MBCT indicates that it reduces rates of relapse by as much as 50% among patients who suffer from recurrent depression, and numerous experts in the field have endorsed MBCT as an effective treatment, including the The UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), which recently endorsed MBCT as an effective treatment for prevention of relapse.
Our experience with participants confirms that they find it an enormously valuable way to change their relationship to their thoughts and feelings and strengthen their resilience and increase their happiness. Graduates of past groups have offered comments like, "It helped me immensely," and "I leave this group a different person," calling MBCT "extraordinary" and "extremely important."
How does Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Work?
The Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy course is presented in eight two-hour sessions plus a day of mindfulness. The structure of the course was very carefully designed by an impressive group of mental health professionals, Dr. Zindel Segal, Dr. Mark Williams and Dr. John Teasdale, in collaboration with Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, based on his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, which has been used effectively now for over twenty years to help thousands of people dealing with chronic pain and illness.
In the MBCT course, you learn to observe the activities of mind that lead to depression, and develop effective intervention techniques. Each week includes carefully designed homework assignments which allow participants to develop the skills to deal with difficult life situations.
About halfway through the course there is a day of mindfulness, which gives a deeper experience of mindfulness and solidifies participants' ability to implement the practices.
Following the eight week course, graduates are welcome to attend ongoing classes, either on a regular or a drop-in basis. These are offered to support you in continuing to implement these practices in your life, and especially to support you when difficult life situations arise.
Class sizes are limited to 7-8 people.
Can I take this course it if I'm already in therapy?
The MBCT course can be taken as a supplement to regular therapy and can be an excellent and effective addition. By increasing your ability to be aware of your own thoughts and feelings as well as strengthening your capacity to handle difficult feelings, the course can make current therapy even more effective.
An initial intake is done to determine if each person is in a space where participation in this course will be beneficial. Collaboration with your primary therapist or psychiatrist may be required for participation in this course.
For Further Information:
This is the home site of the founders of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Ttherapy. It contains lots of useful information, including links to clinical trials, bios of the developers, articles and more.Science Daily article
A good article with lots of information as well as a comparison with the use of maintenance anti-depressants.
My Optimum Health article
A brief and easy to read article outlining MBCT.
MBCT Class Facilitator: Mary Myers
Mary works with clients individually, in couples, and in groups in her private practice at East Village Holistic Therapy. She teaches Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy workshops, assisting people in finding ways to prepare for and avoid depression relapse, and deepening their capacity to be proactive in their own mental health. Mary integrates mindfulness practices into her healing work with clients, drawing on over 10 years of practicing and leading meditation as a Peace Circle leader and with the Community of Mindfulness, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, her primary teacher.
Mary received psychotherapeutic training through the Helix Healing Ministry and is an ordained Pastoral Counselor. She has been invited to present workshops at prestigious institutions including the Kripalu Center, the Omega Institute, and the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art. Mary co-presents the Storms Can't Hurt the Sky workshop with Gabriel Cohen.
When registering online: PLEASE INCLUDE PRIMARY PHONE NUMBER IN SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS BOX