Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy In Austin, TX

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of fully engaging with the present moment and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. This awareness helps you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically, fostering calm and focus. While mindfulness is an innate ability, it can be strengthened through techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, and activities such as yoga or sports.
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Mindfulness does not require you to change who you are; it helps you recognize and cultivate your existing qualities, promoting personal growth and emotional well-being. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) combines these mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy to reduce stress and build resilience.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy incorporates mindfulness training into cognitive therapy. This is achieved through the use of stress reduction activities familiar with mindfulness, such as meditation and the use of breathing exercises.

By using these mindfulness techniques, therapists who practice mindfulness-based cognitive therapy are able to offer treatment for a variety of concerns. This allows for the person in question to address their negative thought patterns before they spiral out of control.

What To Expect During Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy equips individuals with tools to respond effectively to negative thought patterns. This includes meditation programs that encourage processing emotions in a healthy way through self-compassion and understanding the connection between thoughts and feelings. By practicing these therapeutic techniques, clients can move away from automatic negative reactions and develop the ability to respond thoughtfully to challenging emotions.
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Learning these strategies empowers individuals to take proactive steps when negative thoughts and emotions arise, replacing them with more balanced and positive thought patterns. This shift helps mitigate immediate stress and builds long-term resilience and emotional stability.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Who Is Mindfulness Therapy Useful For?

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Mindfulness therapy can be an effective approach for those experiencing ongoing feelings of depression, anxiety, or dissatisfaction. It provides valuable tools that help individuals process their emotions in a balanced way and reconnect with a more positive mindset, ultimately aiding in the journey to a fulfilling life.

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Here is a non-exhaustive list of conditions mindfulness-based therapy is used to treat:

Anxiety disorders
Bipolar disorder
Depression associated with medical illnesses
Low mood
Unhappiness
Depression-relapse prevention
Treatment-resistant depression

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Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

What MBCT Can Help With

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) provides valuable support for individuals facing various mental health challenges, helping them reshape their responses to difficult thoughts and emotions. Here’s how MBCT can make a differenc.

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Depression Prevention

MBCT is particularly effective for preventing recurrent depression. Clients learn to observe negative thoughts without reacting, breaking cycles of depressive thinking. This practice builds resilience, helping clients address early signs of depression before they intensify.

Anxiety Management

Anxiety often stems from repetitive, fear-based thoughts. MBCT teaches clients to approach these thoughts with compassion, observing them without judgment. This mindful awareness helps reduce the impact of anxious thoughts, restoring a sense of calm and control.

Stress Reduction

MBCT offers practical tools to manage stress by encouraging mindful responses over automatic reactions. Clients learn to pause and respond thoughtfully, helping reduce daily stress levels and promoting a more balanced, calm mindset.

Chronic Pain Management

MBCT helps clients live more comfortably with chronic pain by shifting their relationship with pain itself. By mindfully acknowledging pain sensations rather than resisting them, clients reduce the emotional impact of pain, creating more space for ease in daily life.

Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention

For those in recovery, MBCT supports long-term success by helping clients recognize early signs of relapse and mindfully manage cravings. This proactive approach fosters resilience, allowing individuals to handle triggers and maintain their commitment to recovery.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Techniques in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

At Louis Laves-Webb LCSW, LPC-S & Associates, we incorporate a range of techniques in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to help clients develop greater awareness and emotional resilience.

Mindfulness Meditation

Guided meditation sessions focused on breathwork help clients stay present and observe their thoughts without immediate reaction, fostering calm and clarity. These sessions empower clients to handle stress and emotional challenges with a grounded mindset.

Body Scan Exercises

These gentle exercises guide clients to connect with different areas of their body, promoting relaxation and enhancing the mind-body connection. This technique also encourages physical awareness, which helps in managing stress and emotional tension.

Mindful Movement

Incorporating activities like yoga or mindful walking encourages clients to strengthen their awareness while in motion, supporting mental and physical presence. Engaging in mindful movement also aids in grounding and reducing feelings of restlessness.

Cognitive Restructuring

Clients learn to identify and reshape negative thought patterns into balanced perspectives, promoting long-term emotional well-being and resilience. By reframing thoughts, clients gain tools to approach life’s challenges with a more positive outlook.

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

 Schedule A Consultation Today

Phase 1: History Taking

Before beginning EMDR, your trauma therapist will get to know more about your experiences and symptoms. This step is for you to share about events in your past that may be affecting your current mindset.

Phase 2: Preparation

This stage is about ensuring your readiness for EMDR. Even though EMDR therapy for trauma is completely safe, it can be problematic for individuals who commonly experience dissociation. As a safeguard, your trauma therapist will work with you to create your own “calm place” to concentrate on if you feel distressed.

Phase 3: Assessment

It’s now time to choose a target to be reprocessed during your next few sessions. In doing so, you’ll need to identify a vivid image related to the memory, a negative cognition about yourself associated with it, and emotions and bodily sensations that accompany both. Your therapist will then have you challenge that negative cognition with a cognitive one. They will have you rate how true your positive cognition feels and how much distress the target memory causes you on a scale from 1-10.

Phase 4: Desensitization

This is where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing comes into play. When you feel ready, your therapist will guide you to process your negative feelings and memories using bilateral eye movements to facilitate the brain’s healing process. This will help to ground you and take more directed focus on the thoughts, feelings, and images associated with your target. Every minute or so, your therapist will check in on what you’ve noticed and ask you to rate how much discomfort you’re now feeling. When you no longer report distress related to your targeted memory, you move onto the next step.

Phase 5: Installation

Next, your attention will be brought back to the positive cognition you identified earlier. Your trauma/PTSD therapist will recheck how true this belief now feels. The goal is to get this belief to feel like it’s 100 percent true.

Phase 6: Body Scan

You will now be asked to check your body for any areas of tension in your body caused by the target memory. Are your teeth clenched? Is your chest tight? Any uncomfortable physical sensations will be reprocessed using the same procedure as before until you can think of the target memory without feeling any tension.

Phase 7: Closure

At the end of every session, your trauma counselor will make sure that you are leaving feeling more relaxed than when you arrived. If you are feeling agitated, they will lead you through self-calming techniques until you regain your sense of control.

Phase 8: Reevaluation

At the beginning of each subsequent session, your therapist will ask you questions to ensure your positive beliefs have been maintained. This will also help them to identify any new problem areas that may need to be targeted.

EMDR therapy for trauma is considered a success once you are able to bring up memories of trauma without feeling the distress that brought you to therapy. Your trauma therapist will also provide you with the techniques and skills you need going forward to deal with upsetting feelings.

Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Clients engaging in MBCT may experience numerous benefits. Here are a few of the most common.

Increased Self-Awareness

MBCT helps clients gain insights into thought patterns and emotional triggers, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves. This heightened self-awareness can lead to healthier responses in challenging situations.

Enhanced Emotional Regulation

By developing skills to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively, clients can manage emotions with more control. This ability promotes a balanced approach to stress and daily interactions.

Lower Relapse Rates for Depression

MBCT is proven to decrease the likelihood of recurring depressive episodes significantly. With regular practice, clients can maintain a steadier mental health foundation and reduce vulnerability to future depressive cycles.

Improved Resilience

Through MBCT, clients build the ability to face future stressors with greater stability and confidence. This resilience supports overall well-being and empowers clients to navigate life’s challenges more effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

What is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?

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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a therapeutic approach that combines mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy techniques. It helps individuals become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, enabling them to respond to stress and negative patterns in a more balanced way.

How does MBCT differ from traditional cognitive therapy?

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While traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on changing thought patterns, MBCT incorporates mindfulness interventions to help individuals observe their thoughts without immediate reaction. This approach promotes awareness and acceptance, allowing clients to break the cycle of negative thinking more effectively.

Who can benefit from MBCT?

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MBCT is particularly effective for individuals with recurrent depression and anxiety disorders and those looking to improve their stress management skills to process difficult emotions better. It can also help anyone seeking to improve emotional regulation and develop resilience in daily life.

What are some common techniques used in MBCT?

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MBCT involves mindfulness meditation, body scan exercises, mindful breathing, and cognitive restructuring. These practices help individuals remain present, recognize negative thought patterns, and respond to them in ways to improve their emotional health.

How do I start Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy at Louis Laves-Webb?

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Getting started with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is simple. Start by scheduling an initial consultation with one of our mental health professionals. At this appointment, we will assess your needs and goals. Our therapists will then design a personalized treatment plan incorporating MBCT techniques to support your journey toward greater emotional well-being.

If you still have questions, please feel free to give us a call: (512) 914-6635

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Addiction Anger/ Aggression Anxiety Children/ Adolescents Chronic Illness Couple's Therapy Depression Eating Disorders Family Therapy Group Therapy Health IFS Therapy EMDR Trauma Therapy Individual Therapy LGBTQIA+Life Transitions Men's Issues Mindfulness Online Therapy Parenting PTSD Relationship/ Intimacy Self-Esteem Spirituality Student Concerns Trauma

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy In Austin, TX

What Is Mindfulness?

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What To Expect During Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Who Is Mindfulness Therapy Useful For?

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

What MBCT Can Help With

Depression Prevention

Anxiety Management

Stress Reduction

Chronic Pain Management

Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Techniques in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness Meditation

Body Scan Exercises

Mindful Movement

Cognitive Restructuring

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Phase 1: History Taking

Phase 2: Preparation

Phase 3: Assessment

Phase 4: Desensitization

Phase 5: Installation

Phase 6: Body Scan

Phase 7: Closure

Phase 8: Reevaluation

Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Increased Self-Awareness

Enhanced Emotional Regulation

Lower Relapse Rates for Depression

Improved Resilience

Frequently Asked Questions About Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

What is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?

How does MBCT differ from traditional cognitive therapy?

Who can benefit from MBCT?

What are some common techniques used in MBCT?

How do I start Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy at Louis Laves-Webb?

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