If the past decade has witnessed the establishment of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy’s broad appeal and effectiveness, the question of how exactly this multi-modal treatment achieves its benefits remains largely unanswered. It is still fair to ask, for example, about the relative contribution of cognitive therapy principles versus mindfulness practice to the benefits patients report. Clarifying mechanisms of action is of more than academic interest, as it will likely inform the approach taken to training the next generation of MBCT practitioners.
About the speaker
Zindel Segal PhD C.Psych is the Cameron Wilson chair in Depression Studies and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, where he directs the CBT program at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. He has studied and published on psychological treatments for depression for over 25 years. His most recent book, The Mindful Way Through Depression, advocates for the relevance of mindfulness-based clinical care in psychiatry and mental health.