This study was conducted to develop a mindfulness and self‐compassion enhancement intervention for middle‐aged women who complained of emotional distress and to ascertain whether participation in the mindfulness‐based programme was associated with an increase in psychological well‐being and the improvement of psychological symptoms. The results showed that time by group interactions were significant in improving psychological well‐being, depression, anxiety, hostility, somatization, positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). These results suggest that participants in the mindfulness and self‐compassion group programme appeared to have enhanced psychological well‐being and improved psychological distress. The study findings also suggest that mindfulness and self‐compassion enhancement programme may be an intervention with potential for helping many individuals to learn to deal with emotional distress. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.