Introduction to Mindfulness and Acceptance-based Therapies for Psychosis

This chapter provides an introduction to mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies for psychosis. 'Psychosis' is an umbrella term covering a range of associated symptoms, including perceptual, cognitive, emotional and behavioural disturbances. Psychological interventions include family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and social and cognitive rehabilitation. They are not proposed as alternatives to medication, but are used as adjunctive therapies. Additional developments in the field of behavioural and cognitive therapy approaches have led to the evolution of a cluster of therapies termed 'contextual CBTs'. A number of approaches fall under the umbrella of contextual CBT, including dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), integrative behavioural couples therapy (IBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), metacognitive therapy (MCT) and person-based cognitive therapy (PBCT) for psychosis. These therapies include components such as mindfulness, experience with the present moment, acceptance, values and greater emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.