Mindfulness and CBT
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness refers to a moment by moment, non-judgmental awareness of what is happening inside and outside us — i.e. our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and the environment around us. This awareness is marked by openness, curiosity, and acceptance of what is there.
You can try this out right now as you read this.
In therapy, mindfulness is not about stopping thoughts or 'emptying the mind'. Instead, it’s about learning to observe what arises — pleasant or unpleasant — without getting entangled in it.
Why Mindfulness matters in CBT
Mindfulness adds a complementary dimension to CBT in the following ways:
Awareness is a foundation for change - You can only change thoughts, feelings, or behaviours if you're aware of them. Mindfulness helps bring automatic patterns (rumination, worry, overthinking, avoidance) into conscious view.
Defusing from thoughts - Rather than being “fused” with difficult thoughts (“I am a failure,” “I can’t cope”), mindfulness helps you see them as ‘just thoughts’ that come and go. This distance weakens their grip.
Emotional regulation and reduced reactivity - By observing thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them, helps you build the ability to respond more calmly and intentionally, rather than out of habit or distress.
Acceptance and tolerating discomfort - Some distressing thoughts or sensations can’t be immediately changed. Mindfulness helps you approach them with acceptance (rather than suppression or avoidance), which supports your increasing resilience.
Stress management - Practicing mindfulness has been shown to lower physiological stress responses and enhance overall well-being.
How Mindfulness is used in CBT sessions & between sessions
Here’s how mindfulness might be integrated into your therapy:
Breathing exercises - You may be guided through focused breathing to ground yourself during stressful moments or just to start a session with a calm, present-focused awareness.
Body scans - These short guided meditations can help you reconnect with physical sensations and detect where they may be holding tension or discomfort. They can also be very relaxing and calming.
Thought/feeling observation - You will learn to notice your thoughts and feelings as passing events in the mind, rather than facts or truths that require an immediate reaction. A thought is just a thought.
Mindful homework - You may be assigned mindfulness-based exercises between sessions to strengthen awareness and reinforce CBT strategies – eg 5–10 minute guided meditations, informal “mindful moments” in daily activities This means they become a part of everyday life, rather than being confined to your therapy sessions.