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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Medically Unexplained Symptoms

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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

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Abstract

Medically unexplained symptoms are highly prevalent. Patients with persistent medically unexplained symptoms suffer from psychological distress, functional impairment, and social isolation. There is a need for non-harming practical tools in order to help patients to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. Mindfulness has a body-focused and experiential approach, which is different from more cognitive approaches used in cognitive behavioral therapy. Two training formats have been developed for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: a 2.5-h format and a 3.5-h format. The latter contains more extensive psycho-education about medically unexplained symptoms and seems most suitable for patients with severe disability due to the symptoms. Mindfulness training can open up a path of awareness of the body and it can help patients to stay out of avoidance strategies. At the same time it can prevent patients from identifying too much with their symptoms. Mindfulness training can help participants in developing the ability to tolerate symptoms while at the same time not letting the symptoms dictate behavior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Hiske van Ravesteijn M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus University Hospital, Barthsgade 5, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Lone Fjorback M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Hiske van Ravesteijn M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Lone Fjorback M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiske van Ravesteijn M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The UCSF Dep.Cent.,Langley Porter Psy.In, University of California, San Franc, San Francisco, California, USA

    Stuart J. Eisendrath

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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van Ravesteijn, H., Fjorback, L. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Medically Unexplained Symptoms. In: Eisendrath, S. (eds) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29864-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-29866-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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