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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41 of 41 resources

A Memory Of Caring For Others

A Memory Of Caring For Others is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. In CFT, imagery and memo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/a-memory-of-caring-for-others

Audio

A Memory Of Feeling Cared For

A Memory Of Feeling Cared For is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. In CFT, imagery and memo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/a-memory-of-feeling-cared-for

Audio

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

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

Audio Collection: Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion

Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion is an audio collection which guides clients through an empirically-supported programme of compassionat ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/psychology-tools-for-developing-self-compassion-audio-collection

Audio

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

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

Being A Compassionate Person

Being A Compassionate Person is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Being connected with your ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/being-a-compassionate-person

Audio

Body Posture

The Body Posture exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This short experiential practice invites ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/body-posture

Audio

Breathing To Activate Your Soothing System

The Breathing To Activate Your Soothing System exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Listeners ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/breathing-to-activate-your-soothing-system

Audio

Broadening Your Perspective

Broadening Your Perspective is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Being connected with your ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/broadening-your-perspective

Audio

CFT Calm Place

The Calm Place Imagery exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. In this exercise, the listener is ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cft-calm-place

Audio

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

Exercises

Combining Soothing Breathing With A Soothing Smell

The Combining Soothing Breathing With A Soothing Smell exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Th ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/combining-soothing-breathing-with-a-soothing-smell

Audio

Compassion To Others

Compassion To Others is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. There are three ‘flows’ of co ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/compassion-to-others

Audio

Compassionate Letter Writing

Compassionate Letter Writing is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. There are three ‘flows� ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/compassionate-letter-writing

Audio

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

Developing Your Compassionate Other

Developing Your Compassionate Other is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Being connected wi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/developing-your-compassionate-other

Audio

Facial Expression

The Facial Expression exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This short exercise invites the lis ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/facial-expression

Audio

Focusing Compassion On Your Self

Focusing Compassion On Yourself is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. There are three ‘flo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/focusing-compassion-on-your-self

Audio

Free Compassion Audio Tracks

Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion is a 30-track audio collection which guides clients through an empirically-supported programme of comp ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/free-compassion-audio-tracks

Audio

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

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

Living With A Tricky Brain

Living With A Tricky Brain is a track taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This introductory track explore ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/living-with-a-tricky-brain

Audio

Mindful Walking

Mindful Walking is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This is a less formal mindfulness prac ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindful-walking

Audio

Mindfulness Of Body

Mindfulness Of Body is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Some types of mindfulness practice ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-of-body

Audio

Mindfulness Of Breathing

Mindfulness Of Breathing is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This short mindfulness exerci ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-of-breathing

Audio

Mindfulness Of Sounds And Thoughts

Mindfulness Of Sounds And Thoughts is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Some people find th ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-of-sounds-and-thoughts

Audio

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

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 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)

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

Receiving Compassion From Your Ideal Other

Receiving Compassion From Your Ideal Other is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. There are t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/receiving-compassion-from-your-ideal-other

Audio

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

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

The Spotlight Exercise

The Spotlight Exercise is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. This short exercise introduces ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/the-spotlight-exercise

Audio

The Three Systems

The Three Systems is a track taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. The three systems conceptualization is a ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/the-three-systems

Audio

Trying On The Qualities Of Compassion

Trying On The Qualities Of Compassion is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Being connected ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/trying-on-the-qualities-of-compassion

Audio

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? 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

Building a compassionate image download archived copy
Compassionate Mind 2010 Training download
Compassionate letter writing ~~compassionfocusedtherapy.com.au~~ archived copy
Healthy emotion regulation strategies download archived copy
Compassionate letter writing: therapist and client guides download
Writing a compassionate letter to myself download download
Exercises to increase self compassion download
How to develop self-compassion | Russ Harris download archived copy
The RAIN of self-compassion | Tara Brach download

Self-Help Programmes

Developing self-compassion

Understanding self-compassion download
Barriers to self-compassion download
Preparing for self-compassion download
Compassionate imagery download
Self-compassionate thinking download
Self-compassionate behavior download
Self-compassionate living download

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

Self-Compassion

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