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Cited by 38Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

The compassionate kitbag: a creative and integrative approach to compassion-focused therapy

Lucre, Katherine, Clapton, Neil·2021·Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
DOI 10.1111/papt.12291
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Abstract

Purpose: This paper outlines the concept of the ‘Compassionate Kitbag’, a novel multi‐sensory‐based means of helping draw together the various elements of compassionate mind training and processes within compassion‐focused therapy (CFT), to help clients cultivate and facilitate their capacities for compassion. Building on the work of Lucre and Corten (2013, Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice , 86, 387), this is the first published work exploring this concept and the theoretical underpinnings, with a specific focus on how this can be used to support people with attachment and relational trauma. Methods: A narrative review of the literature on multi‐sensory stimulation in facilitating people's capacities for compassion was conducted, coupled with a review of the literature of the use of non‐human and transitional objects as explained by attachment theory and the broader scientific research underpinning the CFT model. Results: Clinical examples of how to use the Compassionate Kitbag to help stimulate compassionate therapeutic processes demonstrate the benefits of and how to begin utilizing this approach in compassion‐focused work with clients with complex needs. Conclusions: The Compassionate Kitbag's potential therapeutic value lies in offering multifarious creative and tangible means of accessing compassion to a wide range of individuals whom are typically fearful of, blocked, and/or resistant to compassion. Further research into the wider application of the concept of the Compassionate Kitbag is needed. Practitioner points: Many patients with ruptured and/or traumatized early attachment relationships can find more traditional talking therapies difficult to access. Compassion‐focused therapy (CFT) can offer an evolutionary‐based understanding of interpersonal difficulties which can be helpful for such patients. Creatively harnessing and utilizing multi‐sensory and non‐linguistic social signals in CFT is key to exercising the care‐giving and care‐receiving social mentalities that facilitate compassionate flow. There is considerable evidence to support the use of a multi‐sensory component to the therapeutic work to help patients cultivate and facilitate their capacities for compassion. The Compassionate Kitbag can be a way of supporting patients to create concrete representations of compassion in the context of the compassionate mind training component of the therapeutic work. Some of these objects can become transitional objects which can aid the therapeutic work.

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  • For a person to feel compassion for self and others, they need access to safe spaces.

    “They also need access to ‘safe spaces,’ places of welcome, belonging and enjoyment (Lucre and Clapton, 2020).”

    From Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: A conceptual analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Lucre and Clapton, 2020

  • For a person to feel compassion for self and others, they need access to compassionate memories.

    “For a person to feel compassion for self and others, they need access to compassionate memories, i.e., memories of an interpersonal interaction with another who is warm, non-judgmental, sensitive to and tolerant of differences.”

    From Compassionate pedagogy for neurodiversity in higher education: A conceptual analysis (2023) · cites this paper as Lucre and Clapton, 2020

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Authors
Lucre, K., & Clapton, N.
Affiliations
  • Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust UK
  • Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-07-08
Volume
94
Issue
S2
Pages
497-516
ISSN
  • 1476-0835 (ISSN-L)
  • 2044-8341
DOI
10.1111/papt.12291
OpenAlex
W3040899652
Cited by
38
References
144
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
compassion-focused therapy, compassionate mind training, multisensory stimulation, transitional objects, attachment trauma, relational trauma, attachment theory
MeSH terms
Empathy, Humans, Psychotherapy

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