The aim of the study was for the first time to investigate patients’ own experiences of developing healthy behavior in connection with their participation in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Healthy behaviors were defined as those which aimed to improve the individual’s well-being and physical function. Two women, diagnosed with bipolar illness or depressive episodes, were recruited from a group of clients in psychiatric care who both had been treated according to MBCT. The two clients shared their views of what changes they experienced during the treatment in semi structured interviews. Data analysis was performed according to the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological (EPP) method. The analysis generated five main themes which were shown to create a causal chain where paths to healthy behavior contributed to a process of change which was mirrored in comprehensive distancing, which in turn facilitated a reduced tendency of illness-identity and the acquiring of new proficiencies which could be generalized to different situations in daily life which led to insights about healthier behavior.
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