Introducing compassion-focused therapy

Bibliographic Data

ID23329795
AuthorsPaul Gilbert (0000-0001-8150-7636)
Year2009
Volume15
Issue3
Pages199-208
Publication date2009-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAdvances in Psychiatric Treatment (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1355-5146 • E-ISSN: 1472-1481
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1192/apt.bp.107.005264
OpenAlexW1994387760
LanguageEN
Citations received187
References cited27

Shame and self-criticism are transdiagnostic problems. People who experience them may struggle to feel relieved, reassured or safe. Research suggests that a specialised affect regulation system (or systems) underpins feelings of reassurance, safeness and well-being. It is believed to have evolved with attachment systems and, in particular, the ability to register and respond with calming and a sense of well-being to being cared for. In compassion-focused therapy it is hypothesised that this affect regulation system is poorly accessible in people with high shame and self-criticism, in whom the ‘threat’ affect regulation system dominates orientation to their inner and outer worlds. Compassion-focused therapy is an integrated and multimodal approach that draws from evolutionary, social, developmental and Buddhist psychology, and neuroscience. One of its key concerns is to use compassionate mind training to help people develop and work with experiences of inner warmth, safeness and soothing, via compassion and self-compassion.

Compassion · Psychotherapist · Theology · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Medicine · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

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