Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy applied to binge eating: A case study

Binge eating is a common problem associated with distress and dysfunction. Mindfulness-based interventions are attracting increasing attention, and the recent empirical literature suggests that they may be effective for a variety of disorders. Current theories about the etiology and maintenance of binge eating suggest that mindfulness training may be helpful for this problem. This report describes the use of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT; Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) in the treatment of a client with subthreshold binge eating disorder. Posttreatment and 6-month follow-up data showed excellent improvements in binge eating symptoms as well as increased levels of mindfulness.