Lipstick on a pig? Mindfulness "just as effective" as CBT t.a.u.
Anyone around psych clinics knows Mindfulness is a trending treatment phenomenon. Mindfulness approaches are thinly modified from Buddhist practice of "Right-Mindfulness" made popular by Jon Kabat-Zinn. This newly published study done to test the effectiveness of Mindfulness compared to a CBT "treatment as usual", found no difference in effectiveness for depression and anxiety.
Is this really a good thing that justifies Mindfulness over normal CBT? What does it actually mean when different treatments bring the same results? Is CBT just as good as the now fashionable Mindfulness, or is Mindfulness just as good as the once fashionable CBT?
What does it mean to understanding mental disorders that depression and anxiety have no specific treatment but respond basically to the same degree to different treatments? Well, what does it mean besides the economy of Mindfulness being done in a group setting and CBT being done one-on-one?
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141127112755.htm
Mindfulness treatment as effective as CBT for depression, anxiety
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A total of 215 patients were included in the study. Before and after treatment, the patients in the mindfulness and regular treatment groups answered questionnaires that estimated the severity of their depression and anxiety. Self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety decreased in both groups during the 8-week treatment period. There was no statistical difference between the two treatments.
"The study's results indicate that group mindfulness treatment, conducted by certified instructors in primary health care, is as effective a treatment method as individual CBT for treating depression and anxiety," says Jan Sundquist. "This means that group mindfulness treatment should be considered as an alternative to individual psychotherapy, especially at primary health care centres that can't offer everyone individual therapy."
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I don't have a problem with solutions to mental disorders coming from any domain of discovery.
I do think that many therapists who are into Buddhism, aren't able to fully separate the religious components from the basic human components that contribute to well being.
streOne of the repeating problems I've encountered in people promoting derivatives of Buddhist practice, whether in Zinn on stress or Linehan on dialectical behavior therapy, is that they are basically unsuccessful in separating religious components from therapy.
Non-judgemental mindfulness is the theme promoted by Zinn and Linehan, but it never succeeds in differentiating itself from -RIGHT- mindedness. And RIGHT mindedness is nothing if not judgmental.
Again there is the problem of separating the hundreds of things that lead to 'feeling better' from things which actually have demonstrated efficacy in promoting recovery.
I have never encountered a single Buddhist practitioner who is also a therapist (no matter what level of graduate training) that does as you suggest. I would like you to provide some good example to back up the claim.
You do not understand mindfulness. Judgement or non-judgement has zero to do with it. Mindfulness is simply awareness of objects or awareness of thoughts. One can be aware of judgmental thoughts but the mindfulness practice itself is neither judgmental nor non-judgmental.
'Right-mindedness' is an intricate component of any successful and effective method of therapy. Unless one strictly accepts the bio-psychological model that says that all psychological distress is caused only by chemical imbalances and therefore, can only be treated with medication, then yes, clients/patients of all levels of functioning are encouraged to work with their own mind extensively.
The very basis of CBT, a proven method of treatment for various psychological disorders, is not only becoming aware of self-defeating, self-shaming, self-castigating, etc. thoughts but also learning how to change them, to challenge them, and to have them without a strong negative emotional reaction occurring.
To suggest that 'right mindedness' is not an effective aspect of 'good' therapy is untenable to me. It infantilizes the patient and runs the risk of making them wholly dependent upon medications alone, therapists, doctors, etc. outside of themselves for their well-being.
With every disorder or dysfunction, an individual can be empowered and encouraged to act, think, and take control of what they can in their own healing, recovery, etc. To suggest otherwise is as laughable to me as your suggestion that therapists who just happen to be Buddhist are in any way shape or form being judgmental in their applications of mindfulness practices in these new treatment approaches. 
My post was alerted on? 
