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Self-Compassion

“Self-compassion entails being kind and understanding toward oneself in instances of pain or failure rather than being harshly self-critical; perceiving one’s experiences as part of the larger human experience rather than seeing them as isolating; and holding painful thoughts and feelings in mindful awareness rather than over-identifying with them” (Neff, Kirkpatrick, & Rude, 2007). Gilbert’s evolutionary account of compassion argues that the self-soothing qualities of self-compassion allow for more effective affect regulation, greater capacity for intimacy, and more adaptive behavior (Gilbert, 1989, 2005). Many individuals who have experienced neglect or abuse struggle to offer compassion toward themselves and struggle with shame and self-criticism as a result. Within compassion-focused therapy (CFT) techniques for fostering and developing self-compassion are referred to as compassionate mind training (CMT). Read more
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17 of 17 resources
Assertive Communication

Assertive Communication

Communicating and acting assertively is an interpersonal skill that helps people to maintain healthy relationships, resolve interpersonal conflict, an ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/assertive-communication

Information handouts

Assertive Responses

Assertive Responses

Being able to communicate assertively is an essential skill for developing and maintaining healthy relationships and positive self-esteem. Individuals ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/assertive-responses

Exercises

Autonomic Nervous System

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) automatically regulates the function of body systems outside of voluntary control. The Autonomic Nervous System han ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/autonomic-nervous-system

Information handouts

Barriers Abusers Overcome In Order To Abuse

Barriers Abusers Overcome In Order To Abuse

Individuals who have experienced abuse often focus on their own actions (or inactions) and blame themselves for their own abuse. This client informati ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/barriers-abusers-overcome-in-order-to-abuse

Information handouts

CFT Compassion Formulation

CFT Compassion Formulation

Within CFT, two methods are commonly used for understanding a client’s difficulties. The threat-focused formulation takes a longitudinal approa ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cft-compassion-formulation

Worksheets

Coercive Methods For Enforcing Compliance

Coercive Methods For Enforcing Compliance

Individuals who have experienced abuse often focus on their own actions (or inactions) and blame themselves for their own abuse. This client informati ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/coercive-methods-for-enforcing-compliance

Exercises

Compassionate Thought Challenging Record

Compassionate Thought Challenging Record

Thought challenging records are commonly used in CBT to help people to evaluate their negative automatic thoughts for accuracy and bias. This Compassi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/compassionate-thought-challenging-record

Worksheets

Gratitude Journal

Gratitude Journal

Cultivating gratitude is an evidence-based positive psychology technique. This information handout describes reasons to cultivate a grateful attitude ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/gratitude-journal

Exercises

Grounding Techniques Menu

Grounding Techniques Menu

Dissociation can be described as a shift of a person’s attention away from the present moment. When working with traumatized clients, this shift oft ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/grounding-techniques-menu

Information handouts

Motivational Systems (Emotional Regulation Systems)

Motivational Systems (Emotional Regulation Systems)

At the heart of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an evolutionary model of human motivational systems. Developed by Paul Gilbert it is a helpful len ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/motivational-systems-emotional-regulation-systems

Information handouts

Perspective-Taking

Perspective-Taking

Cognitive restructuring techniques in CBT teach clients ways of analyzing situations in ways that might initially be unfamiliar. A simple way of intro ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/perspective-taking

Worksheets

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive relaxation training originated in the 1930’s as a treatment for tension and anxiety. Edmund Jacobsen developed a systematic and lengthy ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progressive-muscle-relaxation

Exercises

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Archived)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Older versions of a resource may be archived in the event ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progressive-muscle-relaxation-edition-1

Archived

Relaxed Breathing

Relaxed Breathing

Practising Relaxed Breathing serves to reduce physiological arousal and can be an excellent grounding technique. This client information handout descr ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/relaxed-breathing

Exercises

Responses To Threat: Freeze, Appease, Flight, Fight

Responses To Threat: Freeze, Appease, Flight, Fight

Human beings are programmed to respond automatically in a variety of ways to a threat including freezing, escaping, and dissociation. Traumatized indi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/responses-to-threat-freeze-appease-flight-fight

Information handouts

Voice Tone

Voice Tone

The Voice Tone exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This short exercise guides listeners throu ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/free-audio-voice-tone

Audio

What Is Compassion, Why Do I Need It, And How Might It Help Me?

What Is Compassion, Why Do I Need It, And How Might It Help Me?

What Is Compassion, Why Do I Need It, And How Might It Help Me? is a track taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collec ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/free-audio-what-is-compassion

Audio

Case Conceptualization / Case Formulation

  • Formulation in Compassion Focused Therapy compassionatemind.co.uk archived copy
  • Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises compassionatemind.co.uk archived copy

Intervention

Treatment guides

  • Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises compassionatemind.co.uk archived copy
  • The ‘Compassionate Friend’ group: A 3 session group designed for use in a ward environment  download archived copy
  • The ‘Compassionate Friend’ group facilitators manual  download

Exercises, Worksheets & Workbooks

Self-Help Programmes

Developing self-compassion

Videos

  • Paul Gilbert – Meng Wu Lecture (Introductory)  youtube.com
  • Paul Gilbert – CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 1)  youtube.com
  • Paul Gilbert – CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 2)  youtube.com
  • Paul Gilbert – CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 3)  youtube.com
  • Paul Gilbert – CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 4)  youtube.com
  • Paul Gilbert – DCP Lecture 2015 – Tragedies of the human mind  youtube.com

Recommended Reading

  • Gilbert, P. (2009). Introducing compassion focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 15, 199-208  download archived copy
  • Compassion Focused Therapy – Procedure Outline  download
  • Goss, K., & Allan, S. (2010). Compassion focused therapy for eating disorders. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 3(2), 141-158  download archived copy

References

  • Gilbert, P. (1989). Human nature and suffering. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Gilbert, P. (2005). Compassion and cruelty: A biopsychosocial approach. In P. Gilbert (Ed.), Compassion: Conceptualisations, research and use in psychotherapy(pp. 9–74). New York: Routledge
  • Neff, K. D., Kirkpatrick, K. L., & Rude, S. S. (2007). Self-compassion and adaptive psychological functioning. Journal of Research in Personality, 41(1), 139–154.

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