Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
MBCT teaches you to notice a low mood arriving without being pulled all the way down with it.
This page is a working draft. It has not yet been reviewed and approved by our clinical team, and it is not indexed by search engines until it is.
What this is about
MBCT combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness practice. The aim is not relaxation. It is learning to see thoughts as passing mental events rather than instructions, so that an early dip does not automatically recruit the old rumination that turns it into a full episode. Sessions usually include practice you continue between them.
What work here looks like
Its strongest evidence is for preventing depression from returning, particularly for people who have had several episodes, and many people find it useful for rumination and worry. It asks for regular practice, which is worth knowing before you start. It is not a good fit during an acute crisis, when steadier support comes first.
Nothing on this page is a diagnosis. If you are in immediate danger or worried you might act on thoughts of harming yourself, please contact Tele-MANAS (14416 or 1-800-89-14416, available 24×7 across India) or your local emergency services.
Where this often overlaps.
