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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
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
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A Memory Of Caring For Others

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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)?

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?

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  download  archived copy
  • Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises download archived copy

Intervention

Treatment guides

  • Training our minds in, with, and for compassion: an introduction to concepts and compassion-focused exercises download archive.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

Self-Help Programmes

Developing self-compassion

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.fi archived 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.

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