Mindfulness and acceptance based therapies for psychosis.

Abstract

This chapter describes two approaches—person-based cognitive therapy (PBCT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—that belong to the group of "third-wave" or contextual cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs). "Thirdwave" cognitive and behavioral therapies unite approaches that emphasize clients' relationship with their symptoms. Rather than targeting particular appraisals, as in traditional CBT, these interventions use mindfulness and acceptance to alter the way people relate to their internal experiences. In addition, ACT uses mindfulness and other practices to promote values-based living. Some third-wave therapies (e.g., PBCT) are based on information processing accounts of human cognition, while others are fundamentally behavioral in perspective (e.g., ACT). Third-wave approaches focus on how people relate to their experiences, rather than the experiences themselves. PBCT and ACT are two of the most researched third-wave therapies for psychosis. Both approaches use mindfulness practice to help individuals learn to notice passing thoughts, voices, feelings or images, and develop a more decentered stance toward internal experiences. This can strengthen flexible responding to these experiences. PBCT integrates a mindfulness based approach with a traditional CBTp, and ACT focuses more explicitly on values-based actions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)