The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center offers a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program. MBCT is an empirically-supported group-based intervention that was designed to facilitate recovery from depression and prevent future depressive relapses. The treatment has also been shown to be helpful for individuals with anxiety. MBCT was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. The treatment combines elements of cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness. Participants use mindfulness to develop a new way of relating to their experiences using acceptance, compassion, and curiosity.
Program details:
- One initial individual evaluation for screening and orientation
- Commitment to attending eight weeks of two-and-a-half-hour group sessions and one day-long retreat
- Commitment to 40-50 minutes of daily home practice during the program (audio files will be provided to facilitate home practice)
Who should participate?
- Participants must have a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety
- Participants are most likely to benefit from the program if they are functioning well in their daily lives and have the energy and motivation to engage in assigned home practices consistently
Who should not participate?
- Persons with current or past psychotic features; have received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the past six-months; are actively abusing substances; have current suicidality or who are unable to function appropriately in a group setting.
- If you are interested, please contact our team at mbct@osumc.edu for more information on joining the MBCT groups.
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About Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
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Listen to our Group Audio Files
Additional Resources
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Additional audio
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Recommended Reading
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Local Meditation Groups and Resources
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FAQ
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Testimonials
Our Team
MBCT groups will be led by Sophie Lazarus, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Ohio. Dr. Lazarus is a long time mindfulness-practitioner and a certified teacher of MBCT at the UCSD Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. She completed an intensive training in MBCT under the guidance of one of the treatment developers, Dr. Zindel Segal and another expert in MBCT, Susan Woods, MSW, LICSW. Dr. Lazarus may be joined by a co-facilitator who is an advanced trainee in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, including predoctoral clinical psychology interns and advanced clinical psychology graduate students who have been trained by Dr. Lazarus in the MBCT model.
Nikki A. Puccetti, MS
Nikki A. Puccetti, MS, is a predoctoral clinical psychology intern with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health specializing in Mood, Anxiety, and Mindfulness. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology from the Ohio State University before attending the University of Miami to complete her Masters and PhD in clinical psychology. Nikki has had a personal mindfulness practice for 10 years and completed an intensive teacher training in MBCT in 2022 through the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto, Canada and the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance. Nikki also has experience co-leading Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention for addictive behaviors.
Maureen Maher-Bridge, LISW-S
Maureen Maher-Bridge, LISW-S is a Lead Psychotherapist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Ohio. Maureen was trained at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, PA in CBT and has over 25 years of clinical experience in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. She completed the Teacher Training Intensive in MBCT through the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto, Canada and is currently leading MBCT groups.