The emergence of the compassion focused therapies
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With the rise of an awareness of the power of prosocial, compassionate interactions for well-being, and how their opposite is linked to mental distress, there has been a growth of different approaches to help people cultivate compassion for themselves and others. There are a range of practices that texture compassion focused therapies (CFT) to help build the compassionate competencies within the client. CFT seeks to create the conditions in the therapy, and within the patient, to provide for the stabilising experiences of the secure base and safe haven, feeling valued, with the competencies for empathy and intersubjectivity that enable individuals to understand their own minds and that of others. One of the most important therapeutic CFT challenges can be because people experience fears of compassion. The core focus of the CFT therefore is less trying to remove or correct something than trying to develop and cultivate the best of us – conducive to the flourishing and well-being in all.
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CFT may be a valuable intervention for individuals with Parkinson's disease struggling with self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy due to their condition.
“Similarly, CFT may be a valuable intervention for those struggling with self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy due to their condition (Kirby & Gilbert, 2017).”
From A Systematic Review of Third-Wave Therapies to Reduce Distress and Improve Wellbeing and Quality of Life in People with Parkinson's Disease. (2025) · cites this paper as Kirby & Gilbert, 2017
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- Authors
- Kirby, J. N., & Gilbert, P.
- Venue
- Compassion
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Published
- 2017-04-21
- Pages
- 258-285
- OpenAlex
- W2741086008
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9
- FWCI
- 66.47
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Routledge eBooks (publishedVersion)
- University of Derby Online Research Archive. (University of Derby) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Keywords
- compassion-focused therapy, compassion, secure base, safe haven, empathy, intersubjectivity, fear of compassion, prosocial interaction, well-being, eudaimonia, psychological distress
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