Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is designed to help you manage difficult emotions, thoughts, and stress by combining practical tools from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with mindfulness practices. Whether you’re dealing with recurring feelings of depression, anxiety, or general stress, MBCT can help you become more aware of your inner world, understand your thought patterns, and respond to life’s challenges with greater calm and resilience.

What MBCT Can Offer You

MBCT is centred around three main ideas that may help you gain more control over your mental and emotional well-being:

1. Awareness of Automatic Thoughts: Often, we all find ourselves reacting to difficult situations with habitual or ‘automatic’ thoughts, like “I’m not good enough” or “Things never go my way.” In MBCT, you’ll learn to notice these automatic thoughts as they arise. Instead of getting caught up in them, you’ll develop the skill to step back and observe them with curiosity and without judgement.
2. Acceptance Over Avoidance: Rather than avoiding difficult emotions or fighting negative thoughts, MBCT encourages you to accept them as part of your experience, without letting them take over. By observing emotions as temporary waves that come and go, you’ll learn to respond more calmly to whatever arises, reducing your stress and bringing a sense of inner balance.
3. Seeing Thoughts as Just Thoughts: One of MBCT’s key principles is recognising that thoughts are not facts; they’re simply mental events passing through the mind. Through mindfulness, you’ll learn to detach from unhelpful thoughts instead of letting them define you. This can help you approach yourself and your experiences with a kinder, more compassionate perspective.

How MBCT Works and What to Expect

MBCT is typically offered as an eight-week programme, with weekly group or individual sessions. During this time, you’ll learn practical mindfulness techniques, such as:

• Mindfulness Meditation: Simple practices, like focusing on your breath, doing a body scan, or observing your thoughts without reacting. These exercises are designed to help you become more grounded and aware.
• Reflecting on Thought Patterns: Alongside mindfulness, you’ll also explore how certain thoughts and beliefs contribute to feelings of stress or sadness. By becoming more aware of these patterns, you’ll discover how to shift them.
• Daily Practice: To get the most out of MBCT, regular practice is essential. You’ll be encouraged to spend a little time each day on mindfulness, so it becomes a natural and helpful part of your daily routine.

How MBCT Can Benefit You

By practising MBCT, you may find that you:

• React less automatically to stress or difficult situations, creating space for more positive ways of thinking and feeling;
• Feel calmer and more at ease, able to handle challenging thoughts and emotions with greater confidence;
• Develop a deeper, kinder relationship with yourself, allowing you to handle setbacks with resilience and compassion.

If you’re ready to approach life with greater mindfulness, clarity, and self-compassion, MBCT could be a powerful tool to support you on this journey.