Compassion Focused Therapy
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), developed by Paul Gilbert, is a cognitive behavioral- and mindfulness-based therapy. It combines scientific understandings of the human experience from a variety of disciplines, including evolutionary psychology, mindfulness practices, somatic awareness, neuroscience, and attachment theory. The therapy is based on the conclusion that a compassionate motivation is the most effective and healing response to the inevitable suffering that is part of experiencing a human life. Through discussion, education, meditation, and imagery, people can learn to cultivate healing experiences of inner warmth, safeness and soothing.
“Compassion is born of the recognition that deep down, we all just want to be happy and don’t want to suffer.”
Research suggests that a specialized emotion regulation system is the source of feelings of reassurance, safeness and well-being. This system is believed to have evolved with human attachment systems and, in particular, with the ability to respond to being cared for with feelings of calm and well-being. We experience this emotion system as a felt sense of compassion. This compassion can be directed at others, but it also can be aimed towards ourselves.
Self-compassion can lead to greater achievement than self-criticism, in part because it creates space to own up during tough moments without paying for it with your self-worth. Setting the mind toward a compassionate motivation and intention can help you:
Reduce stress and tension and improve health
Be more present in life
Improve relationships
Increase self-awareness and deepen self-understanding
Cultivate inner peace & happiness
Utilize body-based wisdom
Resist cravings & impulsive thoughts
Witness life’s surprises and miracles
“Research shows that the number one barrier to self-compassion is fear of being complacent and losing your edge. And all the research shows that’s not true; it’s just the opposite.”
In CFT it is hypothesized that this soothing emotion regulation system is poorly accessible in people with high shame and self-criticism, in whom the experience of themselves and of the world is dominated by the “threat detection” based emotion regulation system. Shame and self-criticism make things difficult for people with a range of mental and emotional health problems, who may struggle to feel relieved or safe. All of us are vulnerable, in the modern age, to finding ourselves more often than not in some form of a threat state. This lack of emotional safeness can cause difficulty in living rewarding lives.
To be compassionate is to be sensitive to suffering in oneself and others; and to be motivated to prevent and alleviate that suffering. A compassionate motivation underpins healing, growth and strengthening of relationships with oneself, and others. Compassion can support you as you develop your capacity to embrace your feelings without being carried away by them. You can become less reactive in life, more resilient and better able to embrace struggles and challenges as opportunities.
(Above adapted from the writings of CFT Founder Dr. Paul Gilbert.)