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.
A handout
Training Our Minds in, with and for Compassion, An Introduction to Concepts and Compassion-Focused Exercises, Written by Paul Gilbert PhD
The evidence
Exploring change processes in compassion focused therapy in psychosis: Results of a feasibility randomized controlled trial Christine Braehler, Andrew Gumley, Janice Harper, Sonia Wallace, John Norrie and Paul Gilbert
A film
Compassion for Voices: a tale of courage and hope A film about the compassionate approach to relating with voices, with potential for use as a therapeutic, educational, and de-stigmatising tool. This project is a Cultural Institute at King's project led by Dr Charlie Heriot-Maitland, Department of Psychology at King’s, in collaboration with Kate Anderson, independent animation director. It is part of the Cultural Institute at King's Collaborative Innovation Scheme for Early Career Researchers.
Websites
Articles
Introducing compassion-focused therapy, Paul Gilbert, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, Apr 2009, 15 (3)
