Interest in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has grown rapidly in the UK, prompting health, education, and social work practitioners to develop competencies as mindfulness-based teachers. This has raised fundamental questions about training processes, standards, and competence assessment. The paper examines how competencies are addressed in secular mainstream contexts, presents a framework for how teaching competencies develop in trainees, and reviews current assessment methodologies. The authors argue for continued international dialogue among mindfulness-based trainers and teachers to build a robust professional context for future teachers.
Mindfulness-based approaches, supported by several randomized controlled trials, help prevent depressive relapse and recurrence, and are recommended by the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for use in the National Health Service. These approaches also appear helpful for anxiety disorders and chronic physical health problems, with growing interest in applying them to personality disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders. The authors review the UK context, outline criteria for teacher competence and training steps, and discuss challenges and future directions for ensuring evidence-based mindfulness approaches are available in health care and other settings.