An inquiry into mindfulness based cognitive therapy for depression in a Buddhist setting.

This study explores the experiences of people practicing Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for depression in a Buddhist setting. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was employed to examine the following research questions: 1. How do people with self-defined depression report their experiences of practicing Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy in a Buddhist setting? 2. How can their reports inform current clinical practice and service provision within NHS settings?. 3. How can their reports inform the practice of clinical psychologists running MBCT groups in NHS settings? The analysis produced three master themes: 1) What it's all about - The key ingredients of MBCT, 2) This is doing me good! - The main benefits and 3) Could this work `on the National Health'? -A vision for an MBCT course in the NHS: right person, right time, right place. The study did not find a definitive answer as to whether MBCT hosted by the NHS can produce benefits; rather it showed that nearly all the participants attending MBCT in a Buddhist context experienced benefits in relation to the course. They reported mixed experiences as to whether MBCT would transfer into a secular setting. The findings sharpen questions for future research, such as who will benefit from MBCT in a Buddhist setting and who will benefit in the NHS