MBCT in NHS Talking Therapies services (formerly IAPT)
With our partners at Exeter University, Nottingham Centre for Mindfulness, and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, we run a one-year training programme to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in NHS Talking Therapies services. The training is fully funded by NHS England.
Real life impact of our teacher training
Watch this short video to hear from people who have done the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) teacher training.
Face to face and online training
The MBCT teacher training is delivered in three or four sites across England, through a mixture of face-to-face and online sessions. The teaching, supervision and five-day retreat are fully funded by NHS England.
Deadline for applications
The deadline for applications is Monday 28 October, but there may be some flexibility if you’re not quite ready. Just let us know of any delays at spft.smc@nhs.net.
Teaching within NHS Talking Therapies
On successful completion of the training, staff will be able to deliver this NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) approved, evidence-based, therapeutic approach within NHS Talking Therapies services. This intervention can be used for people with mild to moderate depression, and as a relapse prevention intervention for people with recurrent depression.
The teacher training is for high intensity cognitive behaviour therapists with:
- at least one year’s post-qualification experience working in NHS Talking Therapies services;
- an established personal mindfulness practice;
- experience of doing the MBCT course as a participant.
Diversity welcome and positively encouraged
We are enriched by people’s diversity on our training and would particularly welcome applications from people from underrepresented communities.
Application process
Please note that each trainee must fill out a trainee application form. Single or multiple trainee applications from the same service must be accompanied by a single service application form completed by the NHS Talking Therapies service lead where those trainees work.
Successful graduates of the training will meet the NHS England requirement for NHS Talking Therapies staff teaching MBCT to register with the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA).
More information
For more information, please see Marx, R., Menzies, P. Symon, R. Turner, S. & Pound, A. (2023). MBCT training in IAPT: the experience of the first UK government funded teacher training programme. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 16, e8, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1754470X23000028. You can download a pdf of this paper here.
Further information on the training content can be found in the training information and curriculum below, or by contacting the training site lead for your area:
Dr Paul Bernard (paul.bernard@nhs.net) for the North (North East and North West, including Cheshire, Yorkshire and Humberside and further north).
Dr Tim Sweeney (tim.sweeney@nottshc.nhs.uk) and Kate Feenan (Kathryn.Feenan@nottshc.nhs.uk) for Central England (Midlands and East of England, including Stafford, Derby, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire and as far south as, and including, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Essex, East Anglia and Hertfordshire).
Dr Robert Marx (robert.marx@nhs.net) for the South (covering Greater London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Isle of Wight, the Thames Valley, including Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the south-west).
Support group
Trainees and alumni on the programme can join the NHS in Talking Therapies support for integrity in teaching and training (SiTT) group.
The group meets on the last Wednesday of the month from 4 to 5pm. The facilitator is Hazel Wallace. And you can join the meeting by clicking here. If you have any queries contact Hazel on hazel.wallace1@nhs.net.
By coming along to the group you become part of a local community of mindfulness teachers, trainees, trainers and assessors who adhere to UK good practice guidelines. The group reflects on teaching and personal practice, and offers support and inspiration to one another as we continue on our journey of personal and professional development.
You can find out more about the SiTT community here.
Application information
Here is all the information and forms needed to apply for the training to teach Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy as part of NHS Talking Therapies services.
Application form for Trainees (word document)
Application form for Service Leads (word document)
Training curriculum 2025-26 (pdf)
Equality monitoring form (word document)
MBCT in NHS Talking Therapies complaints procedure (pdf)
Supervisor training information (word document)
MBCT supervisor training application form (word document)
Handbooks and training materials
Here you can find all the materials that you may need while training to teach MBCT as part of NHS Talking Therapies services.
MBCT NHS Talking Therapies Information Governance Guidance 2025/26 (pdf)
Appendices/Consent to recording forms (word document)
Applying for an assessment of Competency to Teach MBCT (pdf)
NHS Talking Therapies MBCT Supervisors Handbook (word document)
The mindfulness-based interventions: Teaching and learning companion (pdf)
Mindfulness based interventions: Teacher assessment criteria
Consent to recording form appendix 1 & 2 (word document)
Supervision record (word document)
Contract for supervision of mindfulness-based teaching and practice (word document)
Supervision feedback template (word document)
Considerations embedding MBCT in NHS Talking Therapies (pdf)
Recruitment for MBCT groups for NHS Talking Therapies trainees (pdf)