An Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy
What is compassion? How is it beneficial for people? And how can it be harnessed directly as part of therapy? In this talk, we’ll take a look at some of the key theories underneath and practices of CFT, and see how this can be a powerful way of working with distress and suffering.
This presentation will help you learn some of the key basics of CFT, and have an opportunity to try out a few CFT interventions and see how these may be useful. At the end of the workshop, you’ll have a better sense of what CFT is, how it can be helpful, and hopefully energise you to find out more about CFT in the future!
Reading Recommendations:
Books and Articles:
- Irons, C. (2017) The Compassionate Mind Workbook: A step by step guide to developing your compassionate self. London: Robinson
- Kolts, R. L., Bell, T., Bennett-Levy, J., & Irons, C. (2018). Experiencing compassion-focused therapy from the inside out: A self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists. Guilford Publications.
- Gilbert, P. (2009) The Compassionate Mind. A New Approach to Life’s Challenges. London: Constable & Robinson.
- Gilbert, P. (2009) An introduction to compassion focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 15, 199-208.
- Gilbert, P. (2010) Compassion Focused Therapy: Distinctive Features. London: Routledge.
- Gilbert, P. (ed.) (2010) Compassion Focused Therapy: Special Issue. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy. 3, 97-201
Videos
- The Science of Compassion – Dr Chris Irons
- Evolution & Compassion Focused Therapy – Professor Paul Gilbert
- Compassion Focused Therapy: An Introduction – Professor Paul Gilbert
About the Speaker:
Dr Chris Irons, PhD
Dr Chris Irons, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, and Director at Balanced Minds, an independent psychology practice in London set up to bring compassion-focused approaches to individuals and organisations in London and the UK. In his clinical work, he uses Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT; Gilbert, 2009; Gilbert & Irons, 2005) in working with people suffering from a variety of mental health problems, but also in bringing these ideas to the general public. He is an internationally recognised trainer and supervisor of CFT, and the author of a number of CFT books, including: “The Compassionate Mind Workbook”, “CFT from the Inside Out” and “CFT for Difficult Emotions”.
Chris also works with the Compassionate Mind Foundation, a charitable organisation aiming to: “Promote wellbeing through the scientific understanding and application of compassion”.
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Next Event:
- University of Greenwich, 10 Stockwell Street Greenwich, London, SE10 9BD, United Kingdom
- 26/06/2022
Upcoming at TWU
This episode is sponsored by our upcoming Day on Changing Consciousness, taking place at the University of Greenwich on 26th June, 2022.
This will be The Weekend University’s first ‘in person’ event in over two years, and it’s shaping up to be a special occasion. The lectures will focus on consciousness paradigms that go beyond the brain, how they work, why they matter, and how understanding them can enhance your everyday experience of reality, with talks on:
–> Panpsychism: Is Everything Conscious? – Dr Philip Goff, PhD
–> From Ego-Centric to Eco-Centric: Changing Consciousness through Psychedelics – Dr Sam Gandy, PhD
–> Is Reality an Illusion? – Professor Donald Hoffman, PhD (via live video link)
By attending live, you can interact with the speakers in the Q&A sessions, connect with like-minded participants during the conference, and get CPD certification.
Should you be unable to attend in person, you’ll also be able to tune in from the comfort of home with a “Livestream Pass”.
As a listener of this podcast, you can get a discount on your ticket, if you go to https://bit.ly/ccj-twu, and use the discount code: POD when registering.
