Loving-Kindness Meditation to Target Affect in Mood Disorders: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Table 1

Outline of loving-kindness medication (LKM) training.

Session number	Content
Session 1	(i) Introduction of instructors; (ii) Logistics (meeting times, confidentiality, etc.); (iii) Psychoeducation and introduction to the principles of mindfulness and LKM meditation; (iv) Defining mindfulness (nonjudgmental awareness of present moment, etc.); (v) Eating a raisin mindfully; (vi) Sitting meditation with focus on breathing; (vii) Homework: 5 minutes per day of sitting meditation with focus on breathing
Session 2	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Reviewing mindfulness concept; (iii) Sitting meditation with focus on breathing; (iv) Discussion of techniques, experiences, and problems; (v) Closing meditation; (vi) Homework: 10 minutes per day of sitting meditation with focus on breathing
Session 3	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Review of mindfulness concept; (iii) Sitting meditation; (iv) Introducing loving-kindness/metta concept: positive versus negative feelings, defining happiness as positive feelings toward others, effect of anger toward others on self, and idea of common humanity; (v) LKM meditation with focus on benefactor; (vi) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Session 4	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Review of loving-kindness/meta concept; (iii) LKM meditation as before with adding focus on beloved person; (iv) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Session 5	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Review of loving-kindness/meta concept; (iii) LKM meditation as before with adding focus on self (unless it is experienced as too difficult); (iv) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Session 6	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Review of loving-kindness/meta concept; (iii) LKM meditation as before with adding focus on neutral person; (iv) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Session 7	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) Review of loving-kindness/meta concept; (iii) LKM meditation as before with adding focus on difficult person; (iv) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Sessions 8–11	(i) Review of past week and homework; (ii) LKM meditation as before while gradually moving to all living beings; (iii) Homework: LKM meditation while listening to scripted recorded on CD (10–15 minutes)
Session 12	Sharing experiences, review of progress, discussion of problems, and planning future practices