Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

**Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction**

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) refers to an evidence-based treatment that utilizes mindfulness interventions to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. This treatment was created by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. Kabit-Zinn, a practicing yogi and professor at MIT, wanted to bring the health benefits of Buddhism to western culture, and so developed MBSR at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center’s Stress Reduction Clinic. Since its founding, MBSR has become the most frequently studied mindfulness training the in United States.

The MBSR program consists of eight weekly sessions that last three hours each, and one seven hour retreat. Each session covers mindfulness techniques, such as body scans or yoga, and individuals receive psychoeducation on topics relating to stress. Notably, research has recently highlighted the benefits of MBSR in dealing with clinical populations. For example, research credits MBSR with effectively reducing stress, depression, and anxiety.  MBSR has also been shown to be effective in non-clinical samples, as well. For example, in a study conducted on healthy working adults, MBSR was shown to significantly reduce perceived stress.

**Further Reading:**

1. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2009). *Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life*. Hachette Books.
2. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2012). *Mindfulness for beginners: Reclaiming the present moment—and your life*. Sounds True.
3. Kabat-Zinn, J., & Hanh, T. N. (2009). *Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness*. Delta.
4. Harris, D. (2014). *10% happier: How I tamed the voice in my head, reduced stress without losing my edge, and found self-help that actually works -- a true story.* Dey Street Books.

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Goldin, P. R., & Gross, J. J. (2010). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on emotion regulation in social anxiety disorder. *Emotion*, *10*(1), 83-91. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018441.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Institute for Mindfulness-Based Approaches. (n.d.). *What is MBSR*. Institute for Mindfulness-Based Approaches. https://www.institute-for-mindfulness.org/offer/mbsr/what-is-mbsr.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kabat-Zinn, J. (2011). Some reflections on the origins of MBSR, skillful means, and the trouble with maps. *Contemporary Buddhism*, *12*(1), 281-306. https://doi.org/10.1080/14639947.2011.564844
4. ↑ Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. *Journal of psychosomatic research*, *57*(1), 35-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00573-7.
5. ↑ Evans, S. (2016). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. In S.J. Eisendrath (Ed.), *Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy* (pp. 145-154). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5.
6. ↑ Morgan, D. (2003). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. *Psychotherapy Research, 13*(1), 123-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/713869628.
7. ↑ Klatt, M. D., Buckworth, J., & Malarkey, W. B. (2009). Effects of low-dose mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR-ld) on working adults. *Health Education & Behavior*, *36*(3), 601-614.https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198108317627.