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In Congress Workshops

Transdiagnostic and Therapeutic Processes

In-Congress Workshop 20 - Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress

Saturday, June 27, 2026
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT
Location: Pacific C, 4th Floor
Earn 3 Credit
Keywords: Mindfulness/Meditation, Transdiagnostic, Evidence-Based Practice
Recommended Readings: Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., Luo, J., Yu, Y., Feng, S., Wang, C., Xu, Q., Wang, P., Chen, J., Zhang, N., Yu, Q., Liu, Y., Chen, D., Hofmann, S. G., & Liu, X. (2025). Supported Mindfulness-Based Self-Help Intervention as an Adjunctive Treatment for Rapid Symptom Change in Emotional Disorders: A Practice-Oriented Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1159/000542937,   Wang, Z., Chen, M., Hu, A., Feng, S., Hofmann, S. G., & Liu, X. (2025). Effect of cognitive flexibility in mindfulness intervention for emotional distress: Two randomized controlled trials. Journal of Counseling Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000812,   Chen, M., Xin, Z., He, M., Wang, Z., Li, Y., Hofmann, S. G., & Liu, X. (2025). Temporal Dynamics in the Early Stages of Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress: A Network Analysis. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-025-02656-y,   ,  
Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression show substantial overlap, reflected in high rates of comorbidity and shared psychological vulnerabilities that give rise to similar patterns of maladaptive emotional responding. To address these common mechanisms, Xinghua Liu developed the Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) in 2019.

MIED is grounded in a transdiagnostic psychopathological diamond model, which posits four key etiological mechanisms: reduced life engagement, low distress tolerance, excessive emotional behaviors, and cognitive rigidity. Accordingly, the intervention integrates mindfulness practices with cognitive and behavioral strategies to facilitate re-engagement with life, regulate distress tolerance, regulate excessive emotional behaviors, and improve cognitive flexibility. MIED can be delivered in multiple formats, including group-based interventions led by trained facilitators, internet-based self-help programs (iMIED), and individual psychological counseling.

Growing empirical evidence supports the effectiveness and scalability of MIED. To date, more than 30,000 individuals have participated in MIED or iMIED. Research conducted by Liu, Li, and colleagues has resulted in over ten peer-reviewed publications. Notably, a recent multicenter randomized controlled trial demonstrated that the self-help version of MIED, delivered with minimal facilitator support, significantly improved symptoms among individuals with emotional disorders, highlighting its potential as a scalable adjunctive treatment.

Building on this evidence base, the workshop will introduce the core structure and clinical logic of the MIED protocol, including its transdiagnostic conceptual framework, intervention components, and delivery pathways. Participants will learn to apply the psychopathological diamond model to case conceptualization and intervention planning, and will engage in guided mindfulness practices to directly experience how these practices target key transdiagnostic processes. The workshop will also briefly introduce the MIED teacher training program, which currently includes over 800 trainees, and highlight its role in supporting dissemination and implementation.

Learning Objectives:

  • Enhance attendees' understanding of transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying emotional distress
  • Improve attendees' ability to integrate mindfulness-based strategies within evidence-based CBT practice.
  • Strengthen skills in applying mechanism-focused case conceptualization to guide intervention selection.