Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

“This very useful book is a valuable resource for therapists and trainees who work with patients who have bipolar disorder. It contains everything needed to implement this therapeutic approach, and it is written in a style that is easily understood. This therapeutic intervention is a refreshing addition to the medications that are the usual primary approach for treating bipolar disorder. It is highly recommended.”

—Journal of Clinical Psychiatry


“[A] thoughtfully written, clinically rich, and comprehensive treatment guide….A welcome addition to efforts to develop novel strategies to improve care for people with bipolar disorder. The book includes detailed information about the nature of bipolar disorder, and the authors are credited for emphasizing the importance of viewing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy within a broader context of care, including pharmacological management….A compelling guide for future study.”

—American Journal of Psychiatry


“This is the first book to describe how to provide MBCT for patients with bipolar disorder, and it will be a landmark. The authors focus on coping tools to manage depression, mania, anxiety, and anger. They slowly introduce and build on mindfulness skills, reinforce the relevance of daily practice, and provide guidance on how to help participants overcome obstacles to practice. This book will provide a basis for future research and practice involving MBCT for bipolar disorder….This manual is recommended for psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatry residents, psychology students, social workers, and counselors.”

—Journal of Psychiatric Practice


“Few diagnoses tax sufferers and stymie therapists as greatly as bipolar disorder. Designed around a vital core of mindfulness practices for addressing mood lability, reactivity, and blunting, this innovative treatment meaningfully expands our understanding of comprehensive care for this challenging clinical condition.”

—Zindel Segal, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders, University of Toronto–Scarborough, Canada


“Written in a clear and practical fashion by a highly respected team of experts, this outstanding book provides innovative mindfulness tools for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Clinicians will learn how to expand their repertoire of therapeutic skills to more effectively treat this challenging disorder. Numerous patient worksheets and handouts are included and session content is described in careful detail. I wholeheartedly recommend this excellent book.”

—Noreen A. Reilly-Harrington, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Bipolar Clinic and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital


“Finally, a book that addresses the application of mindfulness strategies to bipolar disorder. The authors have used their considerable clinical and research expertise to adapt MBCT to the management of fluctuating mood states. The reader will come away with confidence that mindfulness practice is a critical component of the self-management of bipolar disorder. Well worth the read.”

—David J. Miklowitz, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and Senior Clinical Researcher at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom


“Mindfulness has been shown to produce numerous benefits as an adjunct to treatment for many medical and psychiatric disorders. At the same time, multiple studies have demonstrated the importance of behavioral treatments for patients with bipolar disorder. This useful and timely book provides what clinicians want from a manual: it describes how and why to conduct the treatment, as well as how to modify it as needed for specific clinical circumstances. This book is sure to help many clinicians treat patients with bipolar disorder.”

—Roger D. Weiss, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Chief, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital