About compassion-focused therapy
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on increasing self-compassion (feeling sorry for oneself) and reducing self-criticism in people struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, and shame. Compassion-focused therapy is often helpful for people who set very high goals for themselves and are rarely satisfied with themselves or their achievements. Psychologist Paul Gilbert is considered the founder of compassion-focused therapy, who designed this form of psychotherapy to encourage positive emotions and self-compassion, helping individuals overcome destructive inner criticism and negative thinking patterns.
Compassion-focused therapy is closely related to cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness, and its principles are also based on the results of scientific research in the field of neuroscience. This psychotherapy approach uses various exercises and visualizations that aim to activate our calming systems and create a sense of security. Unlike cognitive-behavioral therapy, which some criticize for its limited focus on emotions, compassion-focused therapy is also open to studying and accepting our emotions. The ultimate goal of this psychotherapy approach is for the client to develop warmth and understanding towards themselves, which will lead to greater resilience to stress and increased well-being. In other words - to develop a compassionate "inner voice" that will replace our "inner critic" and allow us not to be too harsh and harsh on ourselves.
Scientific research supports the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in improving mental health. In other words, this approach has been shown to be effective for anyone who wants to develop a healthier relationship with themselves. Since compassion-focused therapy is a relatively new concept, there is not much “older” evidence supporting its effectiveness. Namely, in order for researchers to have something to base meta-analyses on, a large number of primary studies need to be conducted, which can take a long time depending on the popularity of a particular therapeutic approach. Kirby et al. (2017) conducted one of the earlier (and reasonably comprehensive) meta-analyses of the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy. The authors focused on the English literature that explicitly mentioned treatment aimed at promoting compassion or self-compassion, and the results of (adult) people in online treatment were compared with the results of people who were not in treatment. Of the initial 1510 scientific publications found in four large databases, 21 studies met all the conditions for a meta-analysis. The summary results showed that compassion-focused therapy led to an increase in compassion, self-compassion, mindfulness, and general well-being, and to a decrease in depression, anxiety, and symptoms of distress.
More recent research confirms and complements the described results. For example, Millard et al. (2023) examined the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in increasing self-compassion, reducing self-criticism, and symptoms of mental health problems in their meta-analysis. To reach a general conclusion, they searched all scientific literature on compassion-focused therapy published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2022 published in nine large databases of scientific journals. Of the 236 abstracts reviewed, 14 scientific papers met all the criteria for the meta-analysis. The summary results showed that compassion-focused therapy led to a noticeable decrease in the fear of receiving compassion and an increase in self-compassion and feelings of self-confidence.
On the other hand, Petrocchi et al. (2024) examined the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy on desirable and undesirable mental health outcomes in clinical and general populations in their meta-analysis. To reach a general conclusion, they searched all scientific literature in English on the impact of compassion-focused therapy on desirable and undesirable mental health outcomes published up to 2022 in six large databases of scientific journals. In doing so, the authors focused on literature that explicitly mentioned treatment according to the principles of compassion-focused therapy, and the results of people in online treatment were compared with the results of people who were not in treatment. The results of the participants were compared after treatment and several months later. Of the 866 published scientific papers reviewed, 47 met all the criteria for a meta-analysis. The summary results showed that compassion-focused therapy led to a very noticeable reduction in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and self-criticism, as well as an increase in self-compassion in clients.