What is CFT?

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is a form of psychotherapy designed to help people develop self-compassion and manage their emotions more effectively. It’s based on the idea that being kind and understanding toward ourselves can improve our mental well-being and help us cope with difficult emotions and situations.

How Does CFT Work?

CFT aims to help you understand and change your emotional responses by fostering a sense of self-compassion. Here’s how it works:

  1. Understanding Your Emotions: We’ll explore how your thoughts and emotions are connected and how they influence your behaviour.
  2. Developing Self-Compassion: You’ll learn techniques to be kinder and more understanding towards yourself, especially in times of distress.
  3. Building a Compassionate Mind: We’ll use various exercises and practices to help you cultivate a compassionate mindset, both towards yourself and others.
  4. Balancing Emotional Systems: CFT focuses on balancing three main emotional systems:
    • Threat System: Our “fight, flight, freeze, flop” response that keeps us safe from danger.
    • Drive System: The motivation to achieve goals and seek rewards.
    • Soothing System: The ability to feel safe, content, and connected.

What to Expect in a CFT Session

In our CFT sessions, we’ll work together to:

  1. Identify Problem Areas: We’ll start by discussing the issues you’re facing and how they affect your self-compassion developing an overall understanding of what’s led you to struggle with being compassionate to yourself.
  2. Learn Compassionate Practices: I’ll introduce you to various exercises, such as mindfulness, compassionate imagery, and self-soothing techniques, to help you develop self-compassion.
  3. Explore Emotional Systems: We’ll look at how your threat, drive, and soothing systems interact and work on balancing them.
  4. Practice Compassion: We’ll practice applying self-compassion in different situations, helping you respond to challenges with kindness and understanding.

CFT is a collaborative and supportive therapy that focuses on helping you develop a kinder, more compassionate relationship with yourself. By fostering self-compassion, you can improve your mental well-being and better manage your emotions.