Compassion Focused Therapy by Margery Cordero

What are the goals of compassion focused therapy?

People with high levels of shame and self-criticism can find it extremely difficult to be kind to themselves, to feel self-compassionate. Shame and self-criticism are often rooted in a person’s early exposure to adverse life experiences, such as abuse and neglect, and can cause a person to be highly sensitive to threats of rejection or criticism from others.

Created by clinical psychologist Paul Gilbert in 2000, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is a therapeutic approach rooted in principles from neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, Buddhist psychology, and social psychology, and was designed to help individuals develop self-compassion and reduce feelings of shame and self-criticism, ultimately creating a compassionate inner-voice. It’s particularly useful for those struggling with issues like anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, promoting emotional healing through compassion for both oneself and others.

How Does CFT Work?

CFT centers on our three affect regulation systems and views mental health challenges as resulting from an imbalance between them. Its aim is to restore balance among these systems, enhancing self-compassion while reducing shame and self-criticism. By increasing an individual’s ability to access their soothing system, CFT promotes emotional regulation and fosters compassion toward oneself and others. During sessions, therapists use psychoeducation and Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) exercises to support individuals in this process.

Affect Regulation Systems

1. Threat System: triggers feelings like anxiety, fear, or anger in response to perceived dangers, whether physical, emotional, or social. It activates fight, flight, or freeze responses to protect us.

2. Drive System: motivates us to seek rewards and resources, releasing dopamine when we achieve goals. It encourages actions necessary for survival and success.

3.  Soothing System: fosters feelings of calm, contentment, and safety. It helps regulate the threat and drive systems, promoting emotional balance and well-being.

Why Compassion-Focused Therapy is Beneficial

CFT is particularly effective for individuals who find themselves trapped in cycles of shame and self-criticism. This therapy encourages people to develop a compassionate mindset, which has numerous benefits:

1. Reduces Self-Criticism: Many people who struggle with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety tend to be overly self-critical. CFT helps turn a negative internal dialogue into one based on acceptance.
2. Enhances Emotional Resilience: By fostering a sense of self-compassion, CFT helps individuals more effectively cope with emotional pain, enabling them to recover more easily from challenging experiences.
3. Improves Mental Health: Research shows that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. As individuals learn to be kinder to themselves, they often see a significant improvement in overall well-being.
4. Builds Stronger Relationships: When we are compassionate with ourselves, it becomes easier to extend that compassion to others, improving interpersonal relationships and reducing conflict.

Consider Compassion Focused Therapy in Michigan with Being Human Group

Compassion-Focused Therapy offers a powerful framework for addressing human suffering by cultivating self-compassion and reducing shame and self-criticism. By focusing on balancing the threat, drive, and soothing systems, CFT helps individuals develop a compassionate inner voice, promoting emotional healing and resilience. This therapeutic approach not only improves mental health by easing anxiety, depression, and stress, but also enhances interpersonal relationships by fostering greater compassion toward others. Ultimately, CFT provides a path to deeper emotional well-being, empowering individuals to transform their relationship with themselves and the world around them.