What is the difference between mindfulness and act

The MBCT program lasts about eight weeks, with a weekly course, which runs for about two hours. The initiative behind the program is based on learning how to focus, pay attention and concentrate fully in each moment. It mainly focuses on accepting our negative emotions and thoughts without getting involved with them. Through a series of inquiries, students learn to diffuse and put negativity in its context, which leads to them not having such a grip on us.

In ACT, the participants learn that there are two parts to the self: the one that is thinking and the one that is observing. This interesting mindfulness practice can learn us that whatever is happening, part of us can always remain sereen. However, there is no formal meditation in ACT. The view held by ACT practitioners is that the skill of mindfulness can also be learned through a series of informal exercises. All three programs last for 8-weeks and include formal meditation, psychoeducation, home practices, and discussions.

In its first incarnation, MBSR was designed as a pure stress reduction technique for patients that had life-threatening diseases and chronic pain. John Teasdale , Zindel Segal and Mark Williams , hypothesized that the technique could be adapted to also treat patients with depression.

The thought that if standard CT cognitive therapy techniques would be combined with the insights gained by MBSR, their depressive patients could benefit greatly. They contacted Kabat Zinn and adapted his eight week course to suit their needs. MBSR, on the other hand, teaches its participants how to recognise habitual, unsupportive reactions and to incorporate accepting themselves, without judgment and criticism.

MBCT replaces some of the teachings of MBSR and mainly focuses on patterns of negative thinking and help its participants to overcome it. Nowadays, the differences between these form of therapy have faded away. The great practices in each have been incorporated into the other. So taking a course, in general, is fine. ACT seems less interesting as, in my opinion, meditation is such a fundamental tool in developing mindfulness that omitting it seems strange to me.

But I agree that meditation could scare people away. But, never engage in these practices unless the teacher knows you have a depression and you psychiatrist told you it was OK to engage in these exercises. Mindfulness is a very powerful catalysator of thoughts and emotions. It can stir up both the positive and the negative. Mindfulness is not designed to make you feel good all the time.

It is designed to learn you to cope with whatever happens in the present moment. And that could be positive or negative. Unfortunately, if you are depressed, there is not a lot of room for more negativity.

But, as many studies have shown, mindfulness is an effective treatment for depression. You just need to take care that you do not engage in it without the proper supervision if you are in a bad state of mind.

If you are thinking about getting a good meditation course, I recommend my article on online mindfulness and meditation courses. Here you will find out all about how to chose the best type of course for you including MBSR! We all want to see the results of our efforts. However, the meditation instructions often include to not worry about the results. These two are reconciled by not thinking about results while doing the practice Read more….

So, you have read about the many benefits of meditation and you want to try it for yourself. A simple google search will reveal thousands of options. So where do you begin? The truth is Read more…. Actively developing these mindfulness skills can lead to greater levels of acceptance and cognitive diffusion. Values — Defining the qualities and principals we chose to live by is also a key component of ACT. Understandingour personal values allows us to better understand our current actions, thoughts and feelings.

Committed action — Once we understand our values, we can use them to help shape our goals. In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, individuals are asked to actively select these goals and commit to specific actions that will lead to achieving them.

This helps to generate a greater sense of confidence and control over current circumstances. CBT is based on the concept that the way we think affects the way we behave. It allows participants to analyze and reflect on their underlying beliefs and thought patterns often developed during childhood and then see how these may have influenced current behaviors.

Mindfulness is a technique used by many ancient cultures that teaches people to calmly observe themselves and their surroundings in the present moment and to use this impartial information to develop a greater sense of self-awareness and understanding. Observations include noticing negative reactions to everyday situations, particularly stressful ones, with the aim of reducing or stopping those reactions over time. It was later also used to help manage depression and other mental health issues.

For nearly 50 years it has been intensely researched and its effectiveness has been acknowledged by leading institutions and specialists. The technique is practiced in a number of ways including meditation and physical activities like Tai Chi and Yoga and helps to increase physical awareness and calm the mind.

Mindfulness meditation comes easier to some people than others but, as with many things in life, it simply takes regular practice and a willingness to learn.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy uses the best aspects of both these therapies. Both also encourage acceptance of things as they are, including negative experiences — seeing thoughts as merely verbal events and not actual events. The main difference lies in when and how mindfulness techniques are used. In MBCT, formal meditation practices are a major focus and are linked to everyday activities.

ACT, however, also focuses on the development of other cognitive skills like diffusion and defining values.

If you are unsure of which approach is best for you, find a therapist that practices both and allow them to let you try both methods. You may even decide to do a combination of both. In the end it is purely a personal choice. BetterHelp pairs users with licensed therapists for web-based therapy sessions. Therapy can be a powerful tool for healing and personal growth.

But, sometimes, myths about therapy can stop you from reaching out for help. Maybe you feel uncomfortable with your current therapist, or your needs have changed. In any case, here are some helpful tips for changing therapists…. Sand tray therapy is a technique where you create a mini-world within a sand tray.

It's most often used with children, but adults can benefit, too.