Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer

Trish Bartley has taught MBCT to people with cancer in a regional oncology unit in Wales since 2000. She is an Honorary Lecturer in the School of Psychology, Bangor University. She was one of the founding teachers at the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice, Bangor University, where she co-leads programmes for health professionals, and students on the Masters programme, to train as mindfulness-based teachers. She delivers mindfulness-based training retreats internationally.

Contributors ix Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgements xix

Introduction 1

Personal Story – Trish 4

Part One Mindfulness and The Cancer Journey 11

1. Mindfulness and Cancer 13

2. Cancer – The Psychological Implications 23
Stirling Moorey and Ursula Bates

3. Cancer – The Medical Implications 33
Nicholas S. A. Stuart

4. The First Circle – Cancer and the Circle of Suffering 43

Personal Story – Beryl 48

Part Two The Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer Programme 53

5. Starting Out 55

Personal Story – Sally 67

6. The Eight Week Course 72

• Week One 73

• Week Two 91

• Week Three 111

• Week Four 130

• Week Five 150

• Week Six 170

• All Day 186

• Week Seven 194

• Week Eight 215

• The Follow Up Class 230

7. The Second Circle: Mindful Awareness and the Circle of Practice 243

Personal Story – Derek 250

8. The Practices 254

The Core Practices 255

The Short Practices 269

Personal Story – Bridget 284

9. Mindfulness In Palliative Care 289
Ursula Bates

10. After The Eight Week Course 303

11. The Third Circle – Being and the Circle of Presence 310

Part Three The Practitioner Teacher 319

12. Introducing The Teacher 321

13. Embodying The Practice 328

14. Facilitating The Learning 340

15. The Three Circle Model: A Formulation of MBCT for Cancer (MBCT-Ca) 354
Trish Bartley and Ursula Bates

Personal Story – Geraint 364

Epilogue 370

Resources and Links 376

Bibliography 378

Sources and Permissions 388

Index 390