Compassion-focused therapy (CFT)

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is a type of therapy for people who experience high levels of shame and self-criticism and low levels of self-esteem. It teaches you how to embrace self-compassion, learn emotional regulation skills, and improve your overall mental health and well-being. CFT is an evidence-based therapy that’s known to effectively treat mental health problems like depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. It draws from various forms of psychological medicine, including clinical psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, social psychology, and developmental psychology.

What are compassion-focused therapy’s origins?

CFT is a relatively new type of therapy, developed in the early 2000s by British psychologist Professor Paul Gilbert. Gilbert wrote an influential book on the subject called The Compassionate Mind. In his psychological therapy practice, Gilbert noticed that clients who lived with high levels of shame and self-criticism had trouble progressing in therapy because of a tendency toward rumination and self-attacking thoughts. 

He found that his clients could grow and heal if they cultivated more positive emotions toward themselves, such as kindness and compassion. The principles of CFT are also inspired by Buddhist philosophies. Although CFT can be used on its own, it’s often combined with other forms of therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

When is compassion-focused therapy used?

Compassion-focused therapy is primarily used in individual psychotherapy, but it is also often used in group therapy settings. For example, CFT has been used in institutional settings to support students who are struggling with mental health issues and in guided self-help programs. CFT can be used in a variety of settings because it emphasizes practical interventions and activities, such as compassion training and mindfulness-based exercises.

There are several different mental health conditions CFT has been used to treat, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Personality disorders
• Psychosis
• Eating disorders
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance use disorder
• Intellectual disabilities
• Acquired brain injuries
• Pain
• Psoriasis

How does compassion-focused therapy work?

In a nutshell, compassion-focused therapy helps people become more compassionate toward themselves and others. It does this by helping people understand the motivations and origins of their emotions. Then, it teaches practical techniques to replace negative, self-critical thoughts with more caring and compassionate thoughts.

CFT teaches people how to use compassion when facing difficult circumstances and how to nurture a more compassionate mindset. It also teaches people how to soothe their nervous system, increase feelings of safety, and be less reactive to threatening situations. CFT accomplishes this through practices like meditation, breathing, and imagery exercises.

Since CFT is a relatively new form of therapy, the research on its effectiveness isn’t as robust as other therapy types. However, research has found that CFT is an effective way to treat various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and even psychosis. CFT shows the most promising results in individuals who experience a high level of self-criticism and low self-esteem.

How long does compassion-focused therapy take?

How long CFT takes depends on your needs and goals and how the therapy sessions are structured. Similar to other types of therapy, some people may start seeing benefits within a few sessions. Fully meeting your therapy goals may require several months. Your therapist will work with you to develop a unique treatment plan, and can answer questions about your progress.

What is compassion-focused therapy like?

Your experience with compassion-focused therapy differs based on the provider, setting, and goals for treatment. To help tailor the sessions to your needs, your therapist may start by asking you questions about your mental health history and what mental health symptoms you’re experiencing lately. They may ask questions about emotions like shame and any self-critical thoughts you experience.

CFT doesn’t just rely on talk therapy alone, but integrates compassionate mind training (CMT) into treatment. CMT includes various evidenced-based activities and exercises that help people become more compassionate toward themselves and others. Some activities and exercises that may occur as part of CFT include:

• Imagery exercises, including compassion-focused imagery
• Mindfulness and meditation exercises
• Breathing exercises and body scans
• Therapeutic writing exercises, such as journaling or letter writing
• Role-playing exercises
• Psychoeducation, which teaches you to understand the impact that self-criticism has on your psychology and how it impacts your body and emotional regulation systems

How to find a therapist who practices compassion-focused therapy

If you think compassion-focused therapy might be right for you, it’s important to speak with a licensed and experienced clinician. There are many types of mental health care providers who practice CFT, including licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) and more. Clinicians who are familiar with Buddhism or mindfulness practices, or who provide specialized services for BIPOC or LGBTQ+ populations are also a good place to start when looking for a compassion-focused therapist.

On top of finding someone specializing in CFT, you want to make sure they meet your other needs. For example, if you struggle with an anxiety disorder, you’ll want to find a CFT therapist who also specializes in treating anxiety. In addition, finding a therapist who accepts your insurance can make therapy much more affordable.

You can find a therapist who accepts your insurance and specializes in CFT by using Grow Therapy. After filtering for your location, insurance, and needs, you can then select “Compassion Focused” from the “Treatment methods” drop-down.