Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Paul Gilbert for people struggling with shame and self-criticism. It is an integration of ideas concerning: Jungian archetypes; evolutionary approaches to human behavior, suffering, and growth; neuroscientific and cognitive-behavioral ideas about the way that people think and behave; and Buddhist philosophy concerning compassion and mindfulness (Gilbert, 2009, 2010, 2014). There is considerable evidence that developing self-compassion is associated with a wide range of benefits including the ability to build positive relationships, increased physical and mental well-being, or the ability to manage voices in psychosis. Read more

31 of 31 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
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
Audio Collection: Psychology Tools For Mindfulness
The Psychology Tools For Mindfulness Audio Collection is the perfect way to introduce your clients to the practice of mindfulness. Developed by a clin ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/psychology-tools-for-mindfulness-audio-collection
Audio
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
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
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
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
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 Focused Therapy (CFT)?
Compassion focused therapy (CFT) was developed to work with issues of shame and self-criticism. The CFT model complements and expands the traditional ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-is-compassion-focused-therapy-cft
Information handouts
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
downloadarchived copy - Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises
downloadarchived copy
Intervention
Treatment guides
- Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises
downloadarchive.org - 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 Training | 2010 download
- Compassionate letter writing
downloadarchived copy - Healthy emotion regulation strategies download archived copy
- Compassionate letter writing: therapist and client guides download archived copy
- Writing a compassionate letter to myself download download
- Exercises to increase self compassion download
- How to develop self-compassion | Russ Harris download archived copy
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
Presentations
- Introducing compassion focused therapy | Paul Gilbert download archived copy
- An introduction to compassion focused therapy and compassion focused ACT for anxiety and depression | Dennis Tirch & Laura Silberstein Tirch | 2016 download archived copy
- Compassion focused therapy: Is compassion an antidote to shame and an effective phase in the treatment of complex PTSD? | Deborah Lee | 2017 download archived copy
Videos
- Compassion for voices: a tale of courage and hope | Charlie Heriot-Maitland, Kate Anderson youtube
- Introduction to CFT: Meng Wu Lecture | Paul Gilbert youtube
- CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 1) | Paul Gilbert youtube
- CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 2) | Paul Gilbert youtube
- CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 3) | Paul Gilbert youtube
- CFT Workshop at CCARE (part 4) | Paul Gilbert youtube
- Tragedies of the human mind: DCP lecture | Paul Gilbert | 2015 youtube
Recommended Reading
- Gilbert, P. (2009). Introducing compassion focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 15, 199-208 download archive.org
- 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
suomensyomishairioyhdistys.fiarchived copy
What Is Compassion Focused Therapy?
Assumptions of CFT
- human brains/minds have evolved and have evolved needs (e.g., affection, care, protection, belonging), competencies (e.g., mentalizing, empathy, ability for fantasy) and drives (e.g., seeking safety, achieving dominance). These needs/competencies/drives are associated with different brain systems (old brain / new brain);
- human beings have ‘social mentalities’ that enable them to seek out and form certain types of relationships. In these mentalities or ‘mind sets’ we are motivated to engage in different types of behavior, e.g., care-giving, care-seeking, safety-seeking, achievement-seeking;
- the ability to self-soothe is linked to our attachment experiences;
- humans have at least three types of emotional regulation systems: threat-focused and protection and safety-seeking; drive, excitement, and vitality; affiliative-focused soothing system;
- distress and dysfunction may arise from problematic inputs into the emotion regulation systems (e.g., being made homeless, being trapped in an abusive relationship) or because of dysregulation of the systems (e.g., poorly developed self-soothing abilities);
- the soothing system is our brain’s natural ‘threat regulator,’ which can be activated by disengaging from internal stimulators of threat (e.g., rumination, self-criticism) or by distancing oneself from one’s inner emotions (e.g., via mindfulness). Once activated this system can be used to approach aversive inner experiences in a compassionate frame of mind.
Procedures and Techniques in CFT
- psychoeducation to understand our evolved minds/brains (old brain / new brain);
- the use of mindfulness techniques to compassionately ‘stand back’ from turbulent cognitions and emotion;
- the practice of self-soothing techniques to physiologically change one’s state in order to access different social mentalities;
- to develop self-compassion using imagery in order to activate the brain’s natural threat regulator;
- the use of the (above described) ‘compassionate foundation’ as a base from which to explore and engage with aversive or traumatic inner experiences.
References
- Gilbert, P. (2009). Introducing compassion-focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 15(3), 199–208.
- Gilbert, P. (2010). Compassion focused therapy. CBT Distinctive Features Series. New York: Routledge.
- Gilbert, P. (2014). The origins and nature of compassion focused therapy. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53(1), 6–41.