Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Case Study

Based on the evidence, mindfulness could be expanded to be included in teaching individuals not only intrapersonal skills but also the

Globally, major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the top five public health concerns today (Cuijpers et al., 2011; Jakobsen, Hansen, Simonsen, & Gluud, 2011; Hees, Rotter, Ellermann, & Evers, 2013). Moreover, almost 20% of patients with depression engage in self-harming behaviors, including suicidal attempts (Gamble et al., 2013; Jakobsen et al., 2011). Not only is the prevalence of depression alarming, but costly to the health care system (Cuijpers et al., 2011; Cuijpers et al., 2014; Hees et al., 2013; Jakobsen et al., 2011). The use of antidepressants is the standard for initial treatment, but may be limiting in preventing relapse (Cuijpers et al., 2014; Jakobsen et al., 2011). Therefore, the inclusion of non-pharmacological interventions may be necessary to improve treatment outcomes (Cuijpers et al., 2011; Dekker et al., 2013; Jakobsen et al., 2011). Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are the two primary psychotherapeutic interventions recommended in the treatment of depression. In this paper, I will discuss the difference between CBT and IPT, compare the effectiveness between both therapies, explore their efficacy as an adjunct treatment with antidepressant medications, and summarize the treatment guidelines for depression.

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are difficult to treat due to the high prevalence of relapse, with an average of 50% relapsing within the first year (Bowen et al., 2014). Research has shown that current relapse prevention therapy is ineffective and other techniques are needed for effective treatment. To decrease the incidence of relapse, Bowen et al. (2014) set out to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) compared with standard relapse prevention (RP) and treatment as usual (TAU) in a randomized clinical trial during a 12-month follow-up period. Bowen et al. (2014) hypothesized that MBRP would significantly decrease the risk of relapse and participants would stay sober longer compared with RP and TAU. The study included 286 participants between the ages of 18 and 70, which were selected from a SUD treatment facility and randomly assigned to into the MBRP, RP, or TAU group. The MBRP group included eight weekly 2-hour group sessions with two therapists. The RP intervention, followed the same format, but instead utilized cognitive behavioral therapy. The TAU program was formatted around Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-step program and included 1.5-hour groups 1 to 2 times per week. All participants were assessed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the interventions. The study found that MBRP and RP significantly lowered the risk of relapsing and decreased the days of substance use compared with the TAU.

The use of prescription drugs has become prevalent in our society for treating mental illness. Television commercial breaks are inundated with ads for prescription medication. If a person seeking help visits a psychiatrist’s office to get help for depression, anxiety, or ADHD, they are likely to get a quick swipe of a pen on a little white prescription pad and be sent on their way. While prescriptions can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of mental illness, they cannot cure the underlying source of the problem. This has been found to be the case for depression. “The effectiveness of antidepressants is being called into question more and more, while the research behind the value of behavioral interventions is growing. A study suggested that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was as effective in preventing relapse in chronic depression as antidepressants” (Walton). Using medication by itself may give people the relief they need in the short-run, but therapy can have lasting results that will improve the person’s quality of life in lasting ways.

This paper will provide research on major depressive disorder and the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy with mindfulness. With the approach, the paper will go into detail about how the treatment model addresses major depressive disorder. A case study will be presented throughout to descried aspects of major depressive disorder as relevant to the client. A treatment plan will be formulated and will include the chosen practice model, goals of treatment, methods of engagement, contracting issues, methods of intervention, and termination. Evaluation strategies and follow-up will also be addressed. Finally, issues relating to the role of the social worker in continuum of care, including ethical issues and values, will be presented.

Relapse prevention therapy involves employing cognitive behavioral techniques to reduce the recurrence of relapse. One approach to relapse prevention is mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which was designed to reduce rates of relapse based on systematic training in mindfulness meditation combined with cognitive behavioral therapy methods. MBCT is an 8-week group therapy intervention that consists of 8 to 15 patients per group and sessions typically lasted 2 hours over 8 consecutive weeks with four follow-up sessions in the following year. MBCT for depression also teaches people to become more aware of their thoughts and feelings contributing to recurring depressive episodes.

Of the non-pharmacological interventions of depression, CBT is the most effective as indicated by research. Enhanced CBT focuses on the processes that maintain the disorder while specific interventions while psychodynamic psychotherapy looks into the roots of the problematic manifestations to see how the factors affect current relationships and behavior. CBT is fast evolving and when integrated with mindfulness and constructivist as well as narrative approaches to therapy, it produces the effective results. Although different patients respond differently to different models of treating depression the integrative care model, when combined with other methods, such as antidepressants seem to alleviate the disorder without further recurrences. The mindfulness-based therapy combined with yoga, meditation, and other health-improving behaviors in addition to and drugs have been proven as effective in preventing subsequent relapses.

Cognitive behavioural therapy, an empirically validated treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (Robinson, Berman, & Neimeyer, 1990) has featured in over 78 research studies, and is the treatment of choice when treating depression by many clinicians. A meta analaysis completed by Dobson (1989), reviewed 28 studies featuring cognitive therapy and depression, and found that cognitive therapy was a more effective treatment modality than behaviour therapy, wait list control, medication, and other therapies. A further meta-analysis conducted by Gloaguen et al., (1998) found that Cognitive behavioural therapy was equal to behaviour therapy, and more effective than drug treatments when treating Major Depressive Disorder.

Depression affects at least 11 million Americans per year and costs the U.S. economy an estimated 44 billion dollars annually. Comprehensive review of the existing scientific evidence suggests that psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), is at least as effective as medication in the treatment of depression,

This essay is about the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in the treatment of depression. The purpose of this essay is to address the question, how mindfulness works to improve mental health when used as part of psychological treatment? Firstly, a brief overview is given about what depression is and what the symptoms are, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). Secondly, It will discuss mindfulness, as it is defined in mental health treatments. The main body of this essay will cover a description of what MBTC is, where it comes from, how it works, and how this treatment is activated in mindfulness based therapies. The final section will review three studies that have used MBCT in the treatment of depression.

Major depressive disorder affects nearly 15 million of American adults in a given year. (Kessler, Chiu, Demler & Walters, 2005). With the impact it has on the society as well as the well-being of the individual, it must be in the interest of the healthcare to be able to provide patients with the most effective treatment method. Extensive research has been conducted on the efficacy of antidepressant medication and cognitive therapy, the two main treatment methods used for depression today. The discussion has, however, been characterized by conflicting claims, resulting in a debate over what should be used rather than us having definite conclusion of how patients are best helped.

J. R. van Aalderen, et al (2011) examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) for recurrent depressive patients and found that MBCT resulted in a comparable reduction of depressive symptoms for patients. Analyses also suggest that the reduction of depressive symptoms was mediated by decreased

Terms discussed in paper: CBT: Cognitive-behavioural therapy; HEP: Health enhancement program; TAU: Treatment as usual; TRD: Treatment-resistant depression; Mediators: Measurable changes during a treatment; MBCT: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy;

The results of this systematic review addressing the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in the prevention and relapse reduction of depression and anxiety in adolescents gathered results from 15 peer reviewed articles. The databases PsychINFO, Proquest Sociology, and PubMed were used for the search and five articles were selected from each of the databases for further exploration in order to answer the question: Does the use of mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to decrease levels of anxiety and depression in

Mindfulness is “a practice of learning to focus attention on moment-by-moment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance” (Marchand, 2012). Although the origin of mindfulness resides in the principles and wisdoms of Buddhism, recent research has demonstrated the beneficial effects in a multiple of clinical settings, including major depressive disorder and episodes. Previous research has substantiated that MBCT has broad-spectrum antidepressant and antianxiety effects (Marchand, 2012), and mindfulness-based approaches have been efficaciously applied to manage a wide range of stress-related and health problems (Hofmann, Sawyer, Witt, & Oh, 2010). As mindfulness has rapidly gained attention by clinicians, doctors, and other