Mindfulness therapy offered in various forms

Mindfulness therapy comes in different forms. Patients can receive it through group therapy or one-on-one sessions with a therapist. Some practitioners use CDs or books, such as “The Mindful Way Through Depression,” to help guide the therapy.

The precise structure of a program varies: The mindfulness-based stress reduction program at UC San Diego’s Center for Mindfulness, for example, offers an eight-week plan that combines CDs, books and daily home assignments. In one assignment, participants write down their physical and emotional responses to unpleasant events. They are also asked to meditate for 45 to 60 minutes a day at least six days a week.

For more information about mindfulness, visit the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness website at health.ucsd.edu/specialties/psych/mindfulness.

— Chris Woolston