Willem Kuyken is Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. His work focuses on preventing depression, promoting mental health, and flourishing across the lifespan. He has published more than 150 journal articles and was named by Web of Science as in the top 1% of the most cited scientists in the world in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

His new book, Mindfulness for Life, is due to be published by Guilford Press in September 2024. It is a practical guide to help people improve well-being, enjoy life more fully, handle life's challenges better, and live aligned with personal values. It accompanies his earlier book with Christina Feldman, Mindfulness – Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Psychology, published in 2019. His work has been featured in the New York Times, New Scientist, Nature, Scientific American, Times Educational Supplement, the BBC, CBS, New Statesman, Le Monde, der Zeit, the Telegraph, and the Guardian. He lives in London.

“A Life Well Lived” From Preventing Depression to Promoting Human Flourishing: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy Comes of Age

Depression represents a significant global health crisis, affecting an estimated one billion people worldwide. Most mental health issues begin in late adolescence and often persist throughout life. Alarmingly, mental health conditions are worsening, particularly among young people and those in socioeconomically deprived environments. To address this effectively, we must:

• Develop and disseminate interventions that both treat and prevent depression.
• Tackle the underlying causes of depression.
• Enhance overall mental health in the population as a whole.

At Oxford we have pioneered cognitive and mindfulness-based therapies to treat and prevent depression, demonstrated their effectiveness, and supported their integration into practice. However, psychological therapies, delivered by highly trained specialists can only ever be a small part of our response. In developed countries, only a minority of people have access to optimal mental health services, and only a very few in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In response a global wellness industry worth $5.6 trillion has burgeoned, yet it often fails to deliver sustainable, meaningful results due to low engagement, and underuse of the best of psychological science and contemplative traditions.

We need to broaden our scope by teaching foundational skills for mental health and flourishing that resource individuals and organizations across the spectrum from depression, to languishing, to well-being, to thriving.

This keynote will outline our approach, "Mindfulness for Life," drawing on ancient wisdom and modern psychology to:

• Teach lifelong skills for managing daily challenges effectively.
• Promote resilience, social connectivity, and purpose-driven living, in individuals and families, schools, workplaces, and communities.
• Offer learning that is accessible, engaging, and inclusive.

The Mindfulness for Life programme can be adapted to different life stages and contexts, which evolves with the user, offering personalised guidance that adjusts to changing life circumstances. It progresses through three levels:

• Introduction to Mindfulness Course: Available to all, teaching foundational skills.
• Intermediate Mindfulness for Life Course: Eight sessions focusing on deeper engagement and integration into people’s lives.
• Advanced 12-session Group Course: Twelve sessions for comprehensive, sustained lifelong learning.