Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) operates on the principle that many psychological difficulties stem from an underdeveloped or blocked compassion system. CFT helps people strengthen their self-compassion and compassion toward others so they can feel safer, calmer, and more connected.
The primary goal of Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is to help people develop a balanced emotional regulation system by strengthening their capacity for compassion, particularly self-compassion. Rather than simply reducing symptoms, CFT aims to fundamentally shift how people relate to themselves and their difficulties.
The core therapeutic goal is to help clients develop a “compassionate mind”—a mental state characterized by wisdom, strength, and genuine care for wellbeing. This involves learning to approach personal struggles with the same kindness and understanding one might offer a good friend facing similar challenges.
Ultimately, CFT’s goal is to help people become their own source of emotional soothing and support, creating an internal foundation of safety and care that enables them to engage more fully with life, relationships, and personal growth.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) was originally developed for people with high levels of shame and self-criticism, particularly those who struggle with traditional cognitive-behavioral approaches. It’s especially effective for:
It’s also beneficial for those who intellectually understand their problems but find it difficult to feel differently about themselves emotionally. Additionally, CFT can help people who have achieved external success but still experience internal suffering or those who struggle with perfectionism and high self-expectations.
While Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) maintains core principles, several adaptations exist:
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) was developed by Professor Paul Gilbert, a British clinical psychologist, in the early 2000s. Gilbert began developing the approach while working with patients who had chronic depression and high levels of shame and self-criticism.
He noticed that some clients could learn cognitive-behavioral techniques intellectually but struggled to feel better emotionally, particularly those who responded to therapeutic progress with increased self-attack rather than self-encouragement.
Gilbert drew on evolutionary psychology, attachment theory, neuroscience, and Buddhist psychology to create CFT. His background in evolutionary approaches to psychopathology was crucial in developing the three-systems model that forms CFT’s foundation.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) has a growing and increasingly robust evidence base, though it’s still developing compared to longer-established therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Research has shown CFT to be effective for several conditions, with the strongest evidence for depression, anxiety, psychosis, and eating disorders.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) works by helping people understand three key emotional regulation systems:
Think of these like three different weather patterns in your internal climate, you have storm clouds that signal danger and prepare you for threats, strong winds that push you toward your goals and achievements, and sunny, calm days that provide warmth and peace.
Many people find themselves stuck in perpetual storms or relentless winds, while rarely experiencing those gentle, nurturing sunny days. CFT teaches specific techniques to strengthen the soothing system through cultivating self-compassion and compassion for others.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) sessions typically begin with mindfulness or breathing exercises to help ground you in a compassionate state of mind. Your therapist will likely spend considerable time in early sessions explaining the three emotional systems and helping you identify which systems are most active in different situations.
In-session practices may include:
Homework may include:
The therapeutic relationship itself is used as a vehicle for experiencing compassion, so expect your therapist to model warmth, non-judgment, and genuine care.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) typically ranges from 12–20 sessions for individual therapy, though this can vary significantly based on the complexity of presenting issues. Some people benefit from shorter interventions, while others with trauma histories or personality difficulties may need longer-term work.
Therapy generally follows a structured approach with three main phases:
Alma’s directory has many therapists who are trained in Mindfulness-Based Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), including:
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