Experiencing Compassion-Focused Therapy from the Inside Out

Russell L. Kolts, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University. An internationally recognized trainer in compassion-focused therapy (CFT), Dr. Kolts has pioneered the use of CFT in the treatment of problematic anger. He has authored or coauthored numerous scholarly articles and books for both professionals and general readers, including Buddhist Psychology and CBT: A Practitioner’s Guide. Dr. Kolts has given a TEDx talk entitled "Anger, Compassion, and What it Means to be Strong," and is founding director of the Inland Northwest Compassionate Mind Center in Spokane, Washington.Tobyn Bell, MSc, is a practitioner of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. He is a CFT trainer for the Compassionate Mind Foundation and a CBT trainer, supervisor, and program lead at the Greater Manchester CBT Training Centre (National Health Service), which is associated with Manchester University. Mr. Bell has published research on mental imagery and compassion and is a registered mental health nurse and trained mindfulness teacher.James Bennett-Levy, PhD, is Professor of Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being at the University of Sydney, Australia. As a psychotherapy trainer, he has taught in 22 countries, and is one of the most published researchers in the field of therapist training. In particular, he has pioneered and written extensively about self-practice/self-reflection. Dr. Bennett-Levy is coauthor or coeditor of several widely cited books on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), including Experiencing CBT from the Inside Out. He is Editor of the Guilford series Self-Practice/Self-Reflection Guides for Psychotherapists.Chris Irons, PhD, DClinPsych, is Co-Director of Balanced Minds, an organization that provides compassion-focused therapy (CFT) services, training, and resources in London, United Kingdom. He is a board member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Derby. Since the early 2000s, Dr. Irons has worked with Paul Gilbert and other colleagues on research and clinical developments linked to CFT. He has published numerous articles, book chapters, and books on compassion, attachment, shame, and self-criticism, and regularly provides CFT teaching, training, workshops, and retreats around the world.

"CFT is a bold new approach to psychotherapy based on our innate capacity to transform emotional suffering--our own and others'--by cultivating care and kindness. This workbook introduces clinicians to CFT and provides a first-person experiential framework for transferring that knowledge into clinical practice. A special strength of this book is its versatility; it invites clinicians to explore up to 34 different aspects of CFT that are most personally relevant. Highly recommended for novice and seasoned therapists who want to experience and share the life-changing potential of CFT."--Christopher Germer, PhD, private practice, Arlington, Massachusetts"CFT is becoming an essential technique in the armamentarium of the mental health clinician. This book allows clinicians to understand the power of CFT through applying the therapy to themselves, and by doing so, to improve both their own lives and their clinical effectiveness. The authors are to be commended for this superb, straightforward guide that allows the reader to truly experience CFT 'from the inside out.'"--James R. Doty, MD, Founder and Director, Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education, Stanford University"A 'must read' for all therapists! This book does an amazing job of taking the complex, empirically based principles of CFT and weaving them into an easy-to-implement guide to personal practice. Any therapist who wants to help clients develop greater self-compassion should read this book first in order to see how it all works. You will learn how to be kinder and more supportive to yourself using the practices of CFT. The SP/SR approach not only will improve the quality of your professional practice, but also will help you become happier and more emotionally resilient along the way."--Kristin Neff, PhD, Department of Educational Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin"This book is an extraordinary achievement. It takes therapists to the heart and soul of CFT practice, inviting them to genuinely embody and experience compassion for both self and others. The workbook is intellectually vigorous and packed with a rich array of research and practices. This is a volume that will enrich the knowledge of novice and seasoned practitioners alike, and must be the go-to resource for anyone wanting to develop a deep understanding of CFT."--Graham Music, PhD, Tavistock Centre, London, United Kingdom"This excellent workbook provides therapists with an experiential exploration of CFT, giving them another clinical tool to help alleviate the suffering that their clients present in treatment. This will certainly enhance their work with these clients."--Doody's Review Service

• Setting the Scene for CFT SP/SRChapter 1. Introducing Experiencing Compassion-Focused Therapy from the Inside OutChapter 2. A Brief Roadmap to CFTChapter 3. Why Do SP/SR?Chapter 4. Getting the Most from SP/SRChapter 5. A Trio of CompanionsI. Developing Compassionate UnderstandingModule 1. Initial Assessment and Identifying a ChallengeModule 2. Three Systems of EmotionModule 3. Soothing Rhythm BreathingModule 4. Understanding the Tricky BrainModule 5. Exploring Old Brain–New Brain LoopsModule 6. Mindful BreathingModule 7. Shaped by Our ExperiencesModule 8. Compassionate Functional AnalysisModule 9. Safe-Place ImageryModule 10. Exploring Attachment StyleModule 11. Exploring Fears of CompassionModule 12. Threat-Focused Formulation in CFT: Historical Influences and Key FearsModule 13. Threat-Focused Formulation in CFT: Safety Strategies and Unintended ConsequencesModule 14. The Mindful Check-InModule 15. Unpacking CompassionModule 16. Mindfulness of Self-Criticism DiaryModule 17. Midprogram AssessmentII. Cultivating Compassionate Ways of BeingModule 18. Different Versions of the Self: The Threat-Based SelfModule 19. Cultivating the Compassionate SelfModule 20. The Compassionate Self in ActionModule 21. Deepening the Compassionate SelfModule 22. Behavioral Experiments in CFTIII. Developing the Flows of CompassionModule 23. Compassion from Self to Others: Skill Building Using MemoryModule 24. Compassion from Self to Others: Skill Building Using ImageryModule 25. Compassion from Self to Others: Compassionate BehaviorModule 26. Compassion from Others to Self: Skill Building Using MemoryModule 27. Compassion from Others to Self: Opening to Kindness from OthersModule 28. Compassion Flowing to the Self: Compassionate Letter WritingIV. Engaging Compassionately with Our Multiple SelvesModule 29. Getting to Know Our Multiple SelvesModule 30. Writing from the Multiple SelvesModule 31. Attachment and the Professional SelfModule 32. The Internal Compassionate SupervisorModule 33. Using Your Internal Compassionate Supervisor to Work with a DifficultyV. Reflecting on Your CFT SP/SR JourneyModule 34. Maintaining and Enhancing Compassionate GrowthReferencesIndex