Mindful Behavior Therapy (MBT) is a concept I encountered while doing research for my Ph.D. As I read about it, I realized, this is what I’ve been teaching to young people who struggle with challenging behaviors. To dive deeper, I attended a training on Mindful Behavior Therapy, and every single idea or tool that the trainer introduced, I had not only heard of, but had already taught and implemented in my skill groups.

MBT is a therapeutic approach that combines principles from mindfulness and behavior therapy to promote mental well-being and positive behavioral change. The approach is integrative, and my personalized approach to matching strategies to the individual’s specific needs aims to enhance awareness, acceptance, and effective action in the present moment.

Key components of MBT include:

• Awareness Practice – Being fully present in the situation without judgment. I teach clients how to observe their thoughts, feelings, and sensations without getting caught up in the meaning.
• Acceptance – Embracing thoughts and emotions without judgment or resistance. Acceptance can be very difficult, but I assist clients in finding the balance between acceptance and change in order to move on from unpleasant emotions and situations.
• Behavioral Analysis: Understanding the function and context of behaviors in order to apply matching strategies. MBT incorporates behavioral principles to analyze and modify ineffective behaviors.
• Behavioral Activation: Encourages clients to engage in positive and reinforcing activities, promoting a sense of accomplishment and well-being. I focus on coping strategies for mental health, which leads to overall well-being and a better life.
• Awareness of Behaviors: Clients learn to apply awareness skills to their behaviors and understand how this affects relationships. This involves observing, without judgment, the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences of their actions.
• Cognitive Restructuring and Reframing: This helps individuals become aware of automatic thoughts and challenge them in a non-judgmental way in order to take more control of thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Clients learn to reframe negative thoughts and cultivate a more balanced and compassionate perspective.

MBT has been found to be beneficial for stress reduction, anxiety, depression, and emotion regulation. The awareness and focus practices I offer are applied to manage stress by increasing awareness of stressors, improving coping skills, and fostering resilience. Many of the individuals I assist have a diagnosis of Autism and experience high stress and struggle with emotional control. The tools I offer through MBT help them in recognizing triggers and handling them more effectively. MBT is utilized to address symptoms of anxiety and depression by enhancing awareness of negative thought patterns and promoting positive behavioral changes. Clients learn to observe and regulate emotions mindfully, preventing impulsive reactions.

Through my awareness exercises, clients also learn how to improve communication through mindful listening, empathy, and validation, thus improving relationships.

Finally, MBT assists individuals in identifying and clarifying the values that guide their behavior and decision-making. With goal setting, clients learn to align their actions with their values, fostering a sense of purpose and meaning.

Even though MBT is often applied in a therapeutic setting, I found that families struggling with challenging behaviors lacked resources, and I fill that gap with my services. Whether it is individual support, skill groups, or mindfulness-based interventions, I pull from my training in mindfulness and 25 years of working with behaviors in education to support youth and families to cope effectively and improve overall well-being.