Terrible events are very hard to deal with and those who go through a trauma often feel permanently changed by it. Grief, numbness, anger, anxiety and shame are all very common emotional reactions to traumatic incidents such as an accident or death of a loved one, and ongoing traumatic events such as domestic abuse. How we deal with the aftermath of trauma and our own emotional response can determine how quickly we are able to 'move on' and get back to 'normality' once more. An integral part of the recovery process is not only recognising and accepting how our lives may have been changed but also learning to deal with feelings of shame - an extremely common reaction to trauma. 'Recovering from Trauma' uses the groundbreaking Compassion Focused Therapy to help the reader to not only develop a fuller understanding of how we react to trauma, but also to deal with any feelings of shame and start to overcome any trauma-related difficulties.
Presents the principles of emotion-focused therapy which treats the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, describing how a strategy of compassion and self-help techniques can be used to create a personal sense of security and well-being.
It is well-known that having a baby can be a time of joy but also one of anxiety and even depression for new mothers. Indeed it is very common for new mothers to experience a short period of distress following childbirth, often referred to as 'baby blues'. Usually this passes quite quickly, however for more than 1 in 10 women, this distressing experience can be more prolonged. This practical self-help book based on Compassion Focused Therapy will help women to recognise some of the symptoms and, where appropriate, to normalise them, thereby alleviating their distress. It will also guide mothers-to-be and new mothers through the maze of confusing feelings that can arise. Not only will this book cover the basic experiences and symptoms associated with anxiety and depression and childbirth, an evolutionary model of why this occurs, and an outline of the basic Compassionate Mind model, it will guide the reader through a series of exercises that they can use for themselves to develop their compassionate mind and work on their difficulties.
Many of us have a tendency to measure our self-worth by comparing ourselves to others. But when we fail to reach our own, families, communities or societies 'ideals' this often results in feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and low mood. We may become self-critical, experience shame and a sense of being different from others. Although an improvement in 'self-esteem' is what we may feel we want this is not necessarily what we need. This is because self-esteem is often associated with times when things are going well but can fail us when things do not go to plan. In contrast self-confidence, built from self-compassion, can help us when things are going well and make us more resilient when things are difficult. This book uses the ideas and practices of Compassion Focused Therapy to help build self-confidence. Attention is also paid to difficulties that often come hand in hand with lack of self-confidence such as anxiety, depression, substance use and anger.
Stress is an unavoidable part of life that we will all encounter at various times in our lives, be it due to a one-off event such as losing a job or the break-up of a relationship, or from facing long-term difficulties such as working in a stressful environment or caring for someone who is ill. How well we deal with stress will influence the extent to which it affects our lives. In this ground-breaking book, Maureen Cooper explains why we are designed to respond to stress in a certain way and why this can even be helpful at times. She goes on to explain, using practical examples and techniques, what we can do to change our stress response if it becomes overstimulated, thereby improving our sense of control and wellbeing. This self-help book is based on the Compassionate Mind Approach, which has been developed by Professor Paul Gilbert, a clinical psychologist who is internationally renowned for his research and clinical work on depression. The Compassionate Mind Approach combines proven, research-based Western therapy techniques such as CBT with Mindfulness, Tibetan Buddhist practices and recent research on human development and studies of the brain.
There is good and increasing evidence that cultivating compassion for one's self and others can have a profound impact on our physiological, psychological and social processes. In contrast, concerns with inferiority, shame and self-criticism can have very negative impacts on these processes and are associated with poorer physical and mental health. The Compassionate Mind Workbook is for anyone who is interested in how compassion - in the form of ideas and practices derived from Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and other approaches - may help us to engage with, understand and ultimately, try to alleviate suffering. CFT utilises both Buddhist practices and Western psychological science. It draws on neuroscience, insights into emotion regulation and identity formation, interpersonal psychology and a range of psychotherapeutic models. CFT-based interventions can help people with a range of mental health problems develop compassion for themselves, be open to the compassion of others and develop compassion for others. This workbook is a step-by-step guide to CFT, in which the chapters build your understanding of yourself, the skills that give rise to a compassionate mind, and ways to work with whatever difficulties you're struggling with in life. The exercises, prompts and case stories in this book provide an understandable and practical way to develop compassion.
"In this beautifully written book, esteemed clinical psychologist and therapist Stan Steindl takes us on a personal journey into the ups and downs of what it is to be human and reveals both the challenges and the joys of building one’s compassionate mind.” — Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, Founder of Compassion Focused Therapy and bestselling author Life can be complicated. And sometimes, really very difficult. We may struggle with many common life challenges: in relationships, parenting, and work, just to name a few. We can end up suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression, or loneliness, isolation or shame. But did you know that a lot of that suffering comes from within? Rumination and self-criticism are uniquely human thought processes, developed over hundreds of thousands of years. Our brains evolved into an impressive and complex organ that helped us to survive a primitive world, and yet today may yell at us with harsh and hostile criticism, sometimes even over the smallest thing! In fact, critical self-talk is very common. And it flies just under the radar of our conscious mind — condemning and undermining us with its inner voice. This book will show you how to do better — to turn anguish into delight through the use of our Compassionate Self. Through a clear series of steps and practices, noted clinical psychologist Dr Stan Steindl explains how compassion evolved as a vital part of our nature and thought, and the way we look after one another, and even ourselves. He then shows how to use our compassion as a key to a healthier mental life. With personal vignettes illustrating the therapeutic benefits of compassion focused therapy, practical exercises that use mindfulness and imagery to help us develop attention to the present moment, and a wealth of guidance on self-criticism, shame and forgiveness, this book can change your life.
Don't be so hard on yourself – use compassion focused therapy as your guide It's often said that we're our own worst critics—and it's true. Compassion Focused Therapy For Dummies offers straightforward and practical advice that helps you view yourself through a more sympathetic lens. This motivating text covers the key principles of compassion focused therapy, which guide you in caring for your wellbeing, becoming sensitive to your needs, recognising when you are distressed, and extending warmth and understanding to yourself. This transformative resource provides you with metrics that you can use to monitor your progress, including sensitivity, sympathy, empathy, and overall wellbeing. Initially developed to assist people experiencing high levels of shame and self-criticism, compassion focused therapy increases your awareness of the automatic reactions that you experience—and motivates you to combat negative reactions with kindness and affection. Used on its own or in combination with other therapeutic approaches, the value of compassion focused therapy is supported by strong neuropsychological evidence. Understand how to handle difficult emotions with greater ease—and less stress Transform difficult, potentially damaging relationships into positive aspects of your life Encourage and motivate yourself to continually meet your goals, rather than criticise yourself for perceived failures Stop being so hard on yourself, and appreciate yourself for who you are Compassion Focused Therapy For Dummies is a wonderful resource if you are seeing—or thinking about seeing—a therapist who utilises compassion techniques, or if you would like to leverage the principles of compassion focused therapy to manage your own wellbeing.
We can all get angry from time to time but when it gets out of hand it can have a serious impact on many aspects of our lives. As well as having an impact on our physical and mental health and our ability to engage in healthy relationships, it can also potentially have an enormous impact on society. The media is rife with stories of domestic violence, tragic stories of shaken babies, road-rage incidents and bullying. Mounting evidence suggests that all this anger can be harmful to us in a number of different ways. As well as the enormously damaging impact chronic anger can have on our relationships with other people, it is being linked to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and mental illnesses such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This invaluable self-help guide will enable the reader to recognise their personal anger problems, gain an understanding of what lies behind their anger, and use techniques based on Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) to deal with their anger more effectively. CFT was initially developed by Professor Paul Gilbert, author of The Compassionate Mind, to treat those with high levels of self-criticism. It uses the proven, research-based techniques of CBT and other therapies with a special focus on the importance of developing inner compassion, in order to alleviate feelings of shame, develop a more balanced outlook and promote resilience. It incorporates elements of mindfulness and Tibetan Buddhism with recent research on human development and studies of the brain. It is increasingly used to treat a wide range of emotional and psychological problems including depression, overeating, shyness, trauma, anxiety and anger.
We know what it's like to worry from time to time, but for some of us, our worrying can take over and have a serious impact on our lives. When our anxiety gets out of hand and starts to dominate our lives, affecting how we function and our general sense of wellbeing, it's time to do something about it. This accessible self-help guide provides the reader with a clear understanding of how problem anxiety develops, the kinds of problems it's causing them and sets out ground-breaking Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) techniques to overcome their anxiety . CFT was initially developed by Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, author of the bestselling The Compassionate Mind which set out his ground-breaking approach, to treat those with high levels of shame and self-criticism. It uses the proven, research-based techniques of CBT and other therapies with a special focus on the importance of developing inner compassion, in order to alleviate feelings of shame, develop a more balanced outlook and promote resilience. It incorporates elements of mindfulness and Tibetan Buddhism with recent research on human development and studies of the brain. It is increasingly used to treat a wide range of emotional and psychological problems including depression, overeating, shyness, trauma, anxiety and anger.
We know what it's like to worry from time to time, but for some of us, our worrying can take over and have a serious impact on our lives. When our anxiety gets out of hand and starts to dominate our lives, affecting how we function and our general sense of wellbeing, it's time to do something about it. This accessible self - help guide provides the reader with a clear understanding of how problem anxiety develops, the kinds of problems it's causing them and sets out ground - breaking Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) techniques to overcome their anxiety. CFT was initially developed by Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, author of the bestselling The Compassionate Mind which set out his ground - breaking approach, to treat those with high levels of shame and self - criticism. It uses the proven, research - based techniques of CBT and other therapies with a special focus on the importance of developing inner compassion, in order to alleviate feelings of shame, develop a more balanced outlook and promote resilience. It incorporates elements of mindfulness and Tibetan Buddhism with recent research on human development and studies of the brain. It is increasingly used to treat a wide range of emotional and psychological problems including depression, overeating, shyness, trauma, anxiety and anger.
