Compassion-Focused Therapy
An approach that builds self-compassion and reduces harsh inner judgment.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), developed by Paul Gilbert, integrates concepts from evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and Buddhist philosophy to address shame, self-criticism, and self-attack. It is particularly designed for people who find self-compassion difficult and who experience significant inner harshness. CFT helps develop a compassionate inner voice that can hold difficult experiences with warmth rather than judgment.
A therapy approach that builds self-compassion and softens harsh inner criticism.
What to expect: Sessions are typically 50–60 minutes. The work combines education about the evolved human nervous system and emotion systems with experiential practices — including compassionate imagery, breathing, and writing exercises. Some people resist self-compassion initially; the therapist works with that resistance directly rather than pushing past it. CFT typically requires 12–20 sessions to address deep patterns of shame and self-criticism meaningfully. After 6–8 sessions, discuss with your therapist what is shifting in your inner dialogue and what goals feel most alive for the next phase.
Good fit for: Self-criticism or shame is a central feature of your experience, You are open to both conceptual frameworks and experiential practices, Standard CBT has not addressed the depth of your self-critical patterns, You are willing to practice skills between sessions
Explore for: Pervasive self-criticism or harsh inner judgment, Shame that feels deep or difficult to shift, Low self-esteem or a sense of fundamental unworthiness, Difficulty being kind to yourself even when you would be kind to others, Anxiety or depression accompanied by significant self-attack
Not the right fit if: You are in acute crisis, You want a purely analytical or skill-tracking approach, You are not interested in a compassion-based framework, You need immediate practical tools rather than deeper pattern work
How to choose a practitioner: Look for a therapist with formal CFT training — Paul Gilbert's Compassionate Mind Foundation offers training Ask how they integrate CFT with their broader practice Choose a licensed therapist — CFT is a clinical approach
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