LONDON, ENGLAND, March 31, 2008: UK scientists are proving meditation based psychological therapies are effective. A popular course called Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which primarily consists of meditation is currently available in every county across the UK, and can be prescribed on the NHS. One of the pioneers of MBCT is Professor Mark Williams, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford. He helps to lead group courses which take place over a period of eight weeks. He describes the approach as 80% meditation, 20% cognitive therapy. He said: “It teaches a way of looking at problems, observing them clearly but not necessarily trying to fix them or solve them. “It suggests to people that they begin to see all their thoughts as just thoughts, whether they are positive, negative or neutral.” MBCT is recommended for people who are not currently depressed, but who have had three or more bouts of depression in their lives. Trials suggest that the course reduces the likelihood of another attack of depression by over 50%.
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