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An Introduction to the Theory & Practice of CFT

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Level
Beginner
Price
£329
Duration
3
days
Dates
January 29, 2025
January 31, 2025
An Introduction to the Theory & Practice of CFT

Registration‍

This workshop will be 20 hours towards your CPD, and you will receive a certificate of attendance shortly after the workshop. For those who are unable to attend the live broadcasts, this workshop will be recorded, and recordings will be available for up to one month after the live broadcast for you to watch in your own time.

We will host this workshop via Zoom Meetings and will send all relevant joining instructions a week before the workshop.‍

Pricing‍

This workshop is priced at a flat rate of £329. For those in difficult financial circumstances, who may struggle to afford this price, please contact hello@compassionatemind.co.uk

Timings

All timings are according to UK GMT

Day One: 09:30 - 17.00 | Day Two: 09.30 - 17:00 | Day Three: 09.30 - 17:00

About This Course

Compassion focused therapy is rooted in an evolutionary model of human psychology. Participants in the course will be introduced to the difficulties that the human brain encounters because of its evolutionary history and the way in which old motivation and emotional systems interact with newly evolved cognitive competencies and intelligence. For example, humans are the only species that self-monitor in a particular way and while this has advantages, it is also a source for a lot of shame, anxiety and depression.

Participants will also be introduced to the three affect regulation systems linked to threat awareness and coping, reward and resource seeking, and contentment and soothing and how they form complex patterns within the mind. Participants will learn how early life experiences can shape the organisation of our emotions increasing our dispositions towards threat-based emotions that underpin a lot of mental health difficulties.

Additional Information

In the introduction, a particular focus will be on a trans-diagnostic problem that sits underneath many mental health problems which is shame and high levels of self-criticism. Shame and self-criticism can accentuate and maintain difficulties and can complicate and undermine therapeutic efforts. These individuals often come from abusive/bullying, neglectful and/or demanding/critical backgrounds, and have difficulties in regulating emotions through affiliation and soothing systems. Compassion Focused Therapy and Compassionate Mind Training were developed with, and for, people from such backgrounds to address chronic problems associated with shame and self-criticism.

This workshop will help participants bring an evolutionary framework to the conceptualization of mental health problems and their alleviation. This workshop draws on new research on the nature of different types of positive affect (activating versus soothing). Using these insights with an evolutionary and attachment focus the workshop explores the components of self-compassion and how the application of self-compassion can facilitate and promote well-being. The fears, blocks and resistances to self-compassion will be explored. The workshop covers the following materials:

- Introduction to the evolutionary model of human psychology and vulnerability to mental health difficulties

- Understanding an evolutionary approach to affect regulation and affect dysregulation

- The role of attachment and early secure base and safe haven for development and compassion cultivation

- The nature of the two psychologies compassion with 12 constituent elements and their link to the care-giving and receiving motivational systems

- Compassion as flow: compassion to others, being open to compassion from others and self-compassion

- Practices that stimulate compassionate mental states and build a sense of the compassionate self-identity

- How to use compassionate mental states and the sense of a grounded compassionate self to address problems such as self-criticism and shame

- Therapy as creating different patterns in the mind conducive to well-being

Online via Zoom

Background Reading

Cozolino, L. (2007). The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Brain. New York: Norton

Dalai Lama. (1995). The Power of Compassion. India: HarperCollins.

Fredrickson, B,L., Cohn, M,A., Coffey, K,A, Pek, J., & Finkel. S,A. (2008). Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness mediation, build consequential personal resources, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1045-62. You can download this via academia.edu by clicking here.

Gerhardt, S. (2004). Why Love Matters. How Affection Shapes a Baby’s Brain. London: Bruner-Routledge.

Germer, C. (2009). The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions. New York: Guilford.

Gilbert, P. (2018) Living Like Crazy. Annwyn House

Gilbert, P. (ed) (2017) Compassion: Concepts, Research and Application. Routledge

Gilbert, P. (2010) Compassion Focused Therapy Distinctive Features Series. London: Routledge

Gilbert. P. (2009). The Compassionate Mind. Robinson

Gilbert P. (2007). Psychotherapy and Counselling for Depression (3rd edition): London. Sage.

Gilbert, P. (2000) Social mentalities: Internal ‘social’ conflicts & the role of inner-warmth & compassion in cognitive therapy. In P.Gilbert & K.G. Bailey (Eds). Genes on the Couch: Explorations in Evolutionary Psychotherapy. London: Routledge.

Gilbert, P. & Irons, C. (2005). Therapies for shame and self-attacking, using cognitive, behavioural, emotional imagery, and compassionate mind training. In P.Gilbert (Ed) Compassion: Conceptualisations, Research and Use in Psychotherapy. London: Routledge.

Glasser, A. (2005). A Call to Compassion: Bringing Buddhist Practices of the Heart into the Soul of Psychotherapy. Berwick Maine: Nicolas-Hays.

Irons, C. & Beaumont, E. (2017) The Compassionate Mind Workbook. Robinson

Kolts, R. L. (2016) CFT Made Simple: A Clinician's Guide to Practising Compassion Focused Therapy. New Harbinger.

Leary, M.R., Tate, E.B., Adams, C.E., Allen, A.B. & Hancock, J. (2007). Self-Compassion and reactions to unpleasant self-relevant events: The implications of treating oneself kindly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 887-904. There are options to access this article by clicking here.

Lee, D. (2005) The perfect nurturer: A model to develop a compassionate mind within the context of cognitive therapy. In P.Gilbert (Ed) Compassion: Conceptualisations, Research and Use in Psychotherapy. London: Routledge

Mikulincer, M. & Shaver, P.R. (2007) Attachment in Adulthood: Structure, Dynamics, and Change. New York: Guilford

Welford, M. (2016) Compassion Focused Therapy for Dummies. John Wiley & Sons.

To see the full range of Compassion Focused Therapy and Compassionate Mind related books, please check out the link: compassionatemind.co.uk/resources/books

This course is for

Healthcare Professionals
Those working within the healthcare profession
Mental Healthcare Practitioners
Psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, nurses, psychiatrists and other mental health professions
Owners
that are looking for a new way to introduce compassion based therapy into their practice.

Meet your instructor(s)

Dr Shelley Kerr

Dr Shelley Kerr

Clinical Psychologist
Dr Ashleigh McLellan

Dr Ashleigh McLellan

Clinical Psychologist

FAQs

Is this course suitable for someone new to CFT?

Yes, this course is suitable for those who are new to CFT, although some knowledge of the basics may be helpful.

My employer will be paying for this course. Can you arrange for an invoice?

Yes, towards the bottom of the page under the 'prices' section you will find a link to download a booking form for this workshop. Please fill this in and email to Binita.Shah@compassionatemind.co.uk

What if I am unable to attend?

If you find you are unable to attend this course, please email our admin team via hello@compassionatemind.co.uk as soon as possible. You will be given the option to transfer to another course (within 12 months). Refunds are available if cancellation occurs no less than one month before the start of the course, although we will consider exceptional circumstances.

When will I receive the login details?

All delegates signed up to the workshop will receive the joining links, instructions, handouts and any extra resources and information via email. We send these roughly a week before the workshop start date.

Will I get a certificate of attendance?

All attendees will received a certificate upon completion of the course. This will be emailed to you, so please ensure that your details are correct on registration.

Our staff will take a register on each day of the workshop and any non-attendees will not receive a certificate. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please get in touch at hello@compassionatemind.co.uk

Can I watch the recordings in my own time?

We understand that, due to time differences, it may not be possible for you to attend all of this training live with us. With that in mind, the workshop will be recorded, and you'll have access to the recordings for a month after the live broadcast to watch in your own time.

If you're unable to attend for the entire duration, please email hello@compassionatemind.co.uk to let us know, as non-attendees will not receive a certificate unless we are informed of your circumstances.

Prices

If you wish to book via invoice, please click here to download our workshop booking form.

Terms and conditions


All places booked for our event, must be paid for prior to attending the event unless pre-agreed with management. Please note that we cannot confirm your place until we have received payment.

Should you be unable to attend the event, please contact our admin team as soon as possible via hello@compassionatemind.co.uk. Refunds, less the Eventbrite administration fee, will be made if cancellations are received in writing up to one month before the event. Any cancellations received after this time will not be eligible for a refund, although we will consider exceptional circumstances.  While refunds for failure to attend cannot be made, you can transfer your event fee to a future event that will take place within 12 months of your booking without an additional penalty.

Please note that information about the event and venue are subject to change and cancellation. Occasionally, an event may have to be cancelled or postponed.  We will endeavour to inform you of any changes and cancellations as soon as possible via email. We cannot take responsibility for any resulting costs you may incur for travel, accommodation, any other related goods or service or other compensation should an event cancellation occur.

For all face-to-face events, lunch provided at the event will be vegetarian and will include eggs, but no meat or fish (though vegan options will also be made available). However, please advise us of any dietary requirements in the notes section whilst booking online and we will do our best to accommodate your request.