- How do I get referred onto an MBCT course?
- Can I take part in a privately provided MBCT course?
- How do I train to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
(MBCT)? - What’s the difference between Mindfulness Based Cognitive
Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)? - What is the time commitment in attending an MBSR or MBCT
course? - Is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) only used to treat recurrent depression?
- Is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) more effective than Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
- Does the OMC offer mindfulness courses adapted for the needs of corporate clients?
- Does the OMC offer teacher-training packages to corporate clients?
- Can I study for a postgraduate research degree in mindfulness by research?
- Can I teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) if I don’t have a background in a caring profession or clinical qualifications?
- Do I need to have a personal mindfulness practice to teach
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)? - Can I train to teach MBCT if I have a mindfulness practice
but don’t have recognised clinical qualifications? - Do I need to have supervision if I’m teaching Mindfulness
Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?
How do I get referred onto an MBCT course?
If your NHS Trust is the Oxford NHS Foundation Trust you can be referred by your GP. If you have depression or anxiety related problems and you have had two previous treatments, you may be referred to Psychological Services for assessment to join an MBCT course If your NHS Trust is not the Oxford NHS Foundation Trust you will need to ask your GP about what is available for you in your area
Can I take part in a privately provided MBCT course?
Yes. The OMC runs MBCT for courses, which are open to the public. These courses will be useful for people who suffer from recurrent depression, who find that the stress of their lives is creating chronic unhappiness, exhaustion, anxiety and burn-out, as well as people who wish to develop a mindfulness practice to enhance their lives in a variety of ways. If you live too far from Oxford to be able to get to our MBCT course for the public
you may find a course that is suitable for you by going to www.bemindful.co.uk
How do I train to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?
There is a Masters in MBCT. Alternatively you may attend trainings to satisfy The Uk Network for Mindfulness-Based Teacher Trainers’ Network, good practice guidelines, which you can download from www.mindfulnessteachersuk.org . The OMC has a schedule of workshops and www.octc.co.uk offer introductory days, 5-day experiential courses (equivalent to an 8-week course), and teacher training retreats. If you are considering training to teach MBCT, you first need to participate in an 8-week MBCT course and establish your own personal mindfulness practice. If you live too far away from Oxford to attend a public course at the OMC you may be able to find a suitable course near you if you go to www.bemindful.co.uk . Bangor, Exeter and Aberdeen also offer training to teach Mindfulness Based Interventions.
What’s the difference between Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
MBSR was developed by Jon Kabat Zinn, founder of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, in the University of Massachusetts
Medical School. It applies insight meditation techniques, which has a Buddhist psychological framework, in a secular format. MBCT for recurrent depression was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale. MBCT for recurrent depression represents an evolutionary development of MBSR with a cognitive science theoretical framework. It has proven effective in clinical trials for preventing serious recurrent depression and is approved and recommended in the UK by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
What is the time commitment in attending an MBSR or MBCT course?
Both these interventions have a similar 8-week format. There is a weekly class of two to two and a half hours and participants also make a commitment to do around an hour’s practice on the other six days in the week. There is also an all day practice towards the end of the course.
Is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) only used to treat recurrent depression?
MBCT may be adapted for a number of needs based on the psychological understanding of specific groups of participants or can be adapted for groups with a wide range of reasons for learning mindfulness skills. Our MBCT courses open to the general public will be useful for people who suffer from recurrent depression, who find that the stress of their lives is creating chronic unhappiness, exhaustion, anxiety and burn-out, as well as people who wish to develop a mindfulness practice to enhance their lives in a variety of ways.
Is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) more effective than Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
MBSR was originally developed and used with a range of people who had chronic pain and stress. Both MBSR and MBCT have since been adapted for specific kinds of psychological challenges and, when this is done, is assumed to be more effective.
Does the OMC offer mindfulness courses adapted for the needs of corporate clients?
Yes. Mindfulness in the Workplace training enhances performance and prevents burn-out. The OMC provides mindfulness courses tailored to the needs of corporate clients using “Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic World.”
Does the OMC offer teacher-training packages to corporate clients?
Yes, if a corporate body wishes to implement a ‘mindfulness at work’ programme, the OMC can offer mindfulness teacher-training packages to staff. If you’re interested OMC MBCT teacher-training packages for the NHS or for a private sector body, please submit your inquiry by completing the contact form on the Train to Teach page on our website and one of our team will get back to you.
Can I study for a postgraduate research degree in mindfulness by research?
At present we are no longer offering postgraduate degrees by research (Masters or doctorates). When we gain the funding for a Professorship in Mind and Science, degrees by research will be offered. If you wish to be kept informed of developments at the OMC please subscribe to our newsletter.
Can I teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) if I don’t have a background in a caring profession or clinical qualifications?
If you teach MBCT to people for whom you have clinical responsibility, you must be qualified to manage your clinical responsibility. This means that you will only be able to teach MBCT for recurrent depression if you have the clinical qualifications to manage clients who have been diagnosed with recurrent depression.
If you don’t have a clinical qualification or a background in a caring profession you may teach MBCT adapted to the specific field in which you work, when you (the mindfulness teacher) do not have clinical responsibility for the participants. See the Good Practice Guidance.
Do I need to have a personal mindfulness practice to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?
Teaching MBCT must be grounded in your own practice. This is essential and it cannot be called MBCT without this requirement. Many MBCT teachers are clinicians or members of caring professions, who have developed an interest in mindfulness as a result of finding out about Mindfulness Based Interventions through their work. Clinicians or members of a caring profession who become MBCT teachers normally develop their own mindfulness practice by first attending an 8-week course. They will continue to develop their personal mindfulness practice while training to teach MBCT.
Can I train to teach MBCT if I have a mindfulness practice but don’t have recognised clinical qualifications?
Yes. People who have an established mindfulness meditation practice, but do not have a recognised clinical qualification may train to become MBCT teachers, however the masters programme genrally expects applicants to have a clincal background. If you wish to find out about training to teach MBCT please see FAQ “How do I train to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?”
Do I need to have supervision if I’m teaching Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?
Yes. Supervision from an experienced MBCT teacher is required to maintain standards of teaching and to support MBCT teachers’ professional development. If you would like to find out about OMC supervision please fill in the contact form and a member of our team will get back to you.
