CBT and Mindfulness: Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy orientation that involves analyzing the client's cognitions, behaviors and feelings. The premise behind CBT is that a person's beliefs are directly related to, and likely the cause of, his/her feelings and behaviors. People often seek CBT when they recognize it would improve their quality of life if they changed certain behaviors and/or feelings. A cognitive behavioral therapist helps clients identify maladaptive beliefs and modify them so they think about themselves and the world in a healthier way.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
While CBT focuses on modifying thoughts, a therapist may also teach the client how to relate to his/her thoughts differently, reducing distress. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) utilizes CBT principles alongside Eastern philosophical practices of mindfulness meditation, paying attention to each moment, including physiological sensations, actions, emotions and thoughts. Therapists use mindfulness techniques to teach clients to distance themselves from thoughts rather than “fusing” to them (thoughts are a product of the mind, not reality). A client fused with his thoughts becomes preoccupied and perceives them as reality; learning to observe thoughts as an outsider helps a person recognize they're often unrealistic and focused on past/future rather than the present. Therapists utilize mindfulness techniques including meditation within sessions and assign regular meditation practice for homework.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation involves being fully aware of the present moment, paying attention to breathing, physiological sensations, external sounds, feelings and thoughts, without judging experience as good or bad, just experiencing what's happening. Mindfulness practices complement CBT because each technique focuses on the client's thoughts as the primary mechanism for change.
Therapists may be trained in mindfulness meditation and utilize various exercises: mindfulness of the breath (sitting in silence, ideally 30+ minutes, focusing on breath, prompting a return to breath when distracted by thoughts); brief breath-focus for high distress (e.g., during an anger outburst, removing oneself from the situation and focusing on breathing for about five minutes); awareness-of-the-body techniques (paying attention to each body part one at a time). Mindfulness techniques can be used in everyday activities such as eating, walking and writing.
For an updated, more in-depth look at this topic, see How Mindfulness Improves Your Relationships in NYC.