Mindfulness and acceptance based therapies

Mindfulness has reached far beyond the disciplines where it originated and has become an evidence-based psychotherapy method. In particule, the application of mindfulness based therapies in addition to traditional methods for psychiatric disorders prevents relapses.

Mindfulness is concentrating with the aim of focusing at the moment in a nonjudgmental way. Mindfulness means being conscious of the current experience and accepting it. In other words, mindfulness is a unique and receptive form of consciousness in which stimulants are not evaluated, not classified and not analyzed.

Mindfulness and acceptance based therapies deal with the thought itself instead of the content of the thought. It may be said that they help cognitive restructuring in this way. Mindfulness and acceptance based therapies differ from cognitive behavioral therapies in that way and are accepted as third wave therapies.

Acceptance should not be confused with submission and giving up. Acceptance directs the person to turn to the current experience (opening up) instead of running away from the experience (closing up). By this means, the person learns to be with and accept experiences that are pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. The person develops the skill of being fair to his or her own experiences. Being aware of what is happenibg causes a willingness to let things that are pleasant or unpleasant happen just as they are.

Mindfulness acceptance therapies involves; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulnnes Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

The common basic strategies that all these therapies use are:

- Acceptance
- Focusing at the moment
- Cognitive defusion and decentering
- Being nonjudgmental
- Observing


Adaptation of the different viewpoints that are offered by mindfulness and acceptance based therapies by therapists, who have understood them, is useful.
However, understanding of the basic rationale of the therapy by all psychiatrists and psychologists is also useful.