Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a style of psychotherapy that combines cognitive therapy, meditation, and the cultivation of “mindfulness,” a present-oriented, nonjudgmental attitude. Cognitive therapy is based on the idea that thoughts come before moods and that incorrect self-beliefs contribute to negative emotions like depression. MBCT incorporates components of cognitive therapy to help you detect and reassess problematic thought patterns and replace them with more realistic positive ones.