Compassionate Mind Training

Why Choose Compassionate Mind Training?

A compassionate mind is about balance, balance within our emotional regulation systems and our nervous system. It can be compared to the careful balancing of beautiful stones or rocks, creating something powerful, strong, sturdy, and beautiful.

Compassion Mind Training is not just about learning how to be kinder to yourself it is about shifting your mindset, cultivating lasting emotional resilience, and developing a compassionate way of being that can transform how you approach life. Exploring compassion focussed practices will empower you to face challenges with more ease, embrace your emotions without judgment, and build a sense of peace and connection.

Compassionate Mind Training:

Based on Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) by Paul Gilbert
Focuses on developing self-compassion and compassion for others
Aims to reduce shame, self-criticism, and emotional suffering
Useful for individuals with who struggle with shame, trauma, depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem (just some examples)

Core Concepts:

Compassion: Sensitivity to suffering with a commitment to alleviate it
Self-compassion: Treating oneself with kindness instead of harsh judgment
Emphasises creating a safe inner emotional space

Three Emotion Regulation Systems:

Threat system: Related to fear, anger, anxiety (fight, flight, freeze)
Drive system: Focused on motivation, striving, achieving goals
Soothing system: Promotes calmness, safety, and emotional connection

Goals of Compassionate Mind Work:

Balance the three emotional systems
Activate and strengthen the soothing system
Reduce influence of the threat and drive systems
Build inner reassurance and emotional resilience

Common Techniques:

Compassionate imagery exercises
Soothing rhythm breathing
Compassionate letter writing
Mindfulness and grounding techniques
Identifying and softening self-critical thoughts

Benefits:

Improved emotional regulation
Reduced anxiety, depression, feelings of shame and self-criticism
Enhanced self-acceptance, empathy, and well-being

Compassionate Focussed work is helpful for stress because it directly addresses the emotional and physiological systems involved in how we react to threat and pressure.

Why Compassionate Mind Training is helpful:

Activates the soothing system
- Helps calm the nervous system and reduce the “fight-flight” stress response
Reduces self-criticism
- Self-critical thoughts fuel stress and anxiety; compassion softens these thoughts
Builds emotional resilience
- Encourages kindness and support toward oneself during tough times
- Helps people bounce back from setbacks more effectively
Balances the brain’s emotional systems
- Shifts focus from overactive threat and drive systems to the soothing system
- Creates a sense of safety and grounding
Promotes mindful awareness
- Encourages present-moment attention, which reduces worry and rumination
Enhances self-regulation
- Teaches techniques like soothing breathing and compassionate imagery, which calm the body and mind
Encourages supportive inner dialogue
- Replaces harsh inner judgment with encouragement and care, reducing internal stress
Improves sleep, focus, and mood
- By lowering stress levels, it naturally supports better overall functioning

🍃 Book me for a private session/training:

🍃 Compassionate Mind Workshop
Duration: 2-4 hours (to be agreed)

This trauma informed workshop provides a supportive space to explore the practice of compassion towards yourself and others. Through a combination of guided mindfulness exercises, reflective activities, and group discussions, participants will develop practical skills to nurture emotional wellbeing and resilience. The workshop is carefully designed to be inclusive and sensitive to all backgrounds and experiences, fostering a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected.

Workshop benefits include:

Learning to cultivate more self-compassion and reduce self-criticism
Developing tools to manage difficult emotions and increase emotional resilience
Enhancing awareness of personal triggers and responses with kindness
Building greater empathy and compassion towards others
Creating a supportive community space to share and connect
Gaining practical techniques to integrate compassion into everyday life
More awareness of the nervous system

This workshop is suitable for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of compassion in a trauma-informed context and is ideal for those looking to support their mental and emotional wellbeing.

🍃 Compassionate Mind Training (CMT)

CMT: 8 Week Course to Cultivate Compassion, Emotional Resilience, and Well-Being

Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) is an 8-week course rooted in Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). It is designed to help you develop more self-compassion, emotional resilience, and a deeper self awareness. This course combines mindfulness, psychology, cognitive-behavioural strategies, and practical exercises to reduce stress, manage difficult emotions, and build lasting emotional well-being.

What you will learn:
Self-Compassion: How to treat yourself with more self-compassion and care, even when things feel tough or overwhelming. You will discover how to quieten the inner critic and create a safer space for inner growth.

Mindfulness: Learn to be more present with your thoughts and emotions, without judgment so you can navigate life’s challenges with more awareness and less reactivity.

Emotional Regulation: Develop tools to manage stress, anxiety, and intense emotions. Through understanding the 3 emotional regulation systems, you’ll learn how to shift from feeling overwhelmed to feeling more grounded and balanced.

Resilience: Strengthen your ability to face life’s ups and downs with greater emotional flexibility and bounce back from difficult experiences with more ease.

Compassionate Connection: Build empathy, understanding, and compassion not only for yourself, but also for others. Learn to cultivate healthy, compassionate relationships, and enhance your emotional connections.

What to Expect:
Weekly Group Sessions (2 hours): Each session will focus on a specific practice—whether it’s mindfulness, self-compassion exercises, or emotional regulation techniques. Sessions can be taken in-person or online.

Practical Tools:
You’ll gain simple, effective tools and techniques that you can easily integrate into your daily life to manage stress and cultivate emotional well-being.
A Safe, Supportive Environment: The course is taught in a trauma-informed way, creating a safe, welcoming space for personal growth. The group will be encouraged to share and connect, but you’re always welcome to participate in a way that feels comfortable for you.

Ideal For:

Anyone looking to overcome self-criticism and negative self-talk
Those wanting to manage stress, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm in a healthier, more compassionate way
Individuals who want to build more compassionate, supportive relationships with themselves and others
Anyone seeking to cultivate inner peace, emotional balance, and a sense of well-being

Example programme outline:

Week 1: Understanding the Compassionate Mind and the Tricky Brain

Trauma-informed focus: Establish emotional safety and a sense of normalisation. Help participants understand that their emotional struggles are not their fault.

Core themes:

Introduction to compassion: sensitivity to suffering in self and others, with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it
The “tricky brain”: our minds are shaped by evolution and not always under our control
Three emotional regulation systems: threat (survival and protection), drive (achievement and reward), and soothing (connection and safeness)
Why compassion is central in healing from trauma

Practices:

Psychoeducation using simple, non-pathologising language
Begin daily grounding and soothing rhythm breathing
Introduce the concept of a “safe place” imagery exercise (trauma-sensitive version)
Encourage reflective journaling: noticing experiences of safety, kindness, or stress throughout the week

Week 2: Grounding and Developing Compassionate Attention

Trauma-informed focus: Begin building skills for emotional regulation. Help participants feel more present, grounded, and safe.

Core themes:

Attention and how it shapes emotion
Learning to notice where the mind goes, especially to threat-based thinking
Introduction to mindfulness (adapted for trauma – choice, safety, and pacing are emphasised)

Practices:

Grounding exercises (five senses, noticing surroundings, feeling feet on the floor)
Soothing rhythm breathing with gentle body awareness
“Attention training”: shifting attention between threat and soothing system cues (gently and without pressure)
Optional journaling prompts: What helps you feel grounded or unsettled?

Week 3: Understanding and Reframing Threat-Based Thinking

Trauma-informed focus: Validate threat-based thoughts and inner critical voices as understandable adaptations to trauma.

Core themes:

Recognising the inner critic and threat-based beliefs
Understanding where self-criticism may have come from (early relationships, trauma, survival strategies)
Introducing the idea of compassionate reframing

Practices:

Begin a “thought tracking” exercise: notice tone, content, and emotional impact
Write from the voice of the inner critic, then respond with the compassionate self
Continue daily grounding and breath work
Optional: Letter from the compassionate self to the self-in-pain (may be done verbally if writing is triggering)

Week 4: Cultivating the Compassionate Self

Trauma-informed focus: Empower individuals to begin building a safe and strong inner resource.

Core themes:

Defining and exploring the compassionate self: wise, strong, committed to well-being
The compassionate self is not passive or weak – it includes courage
Gently differentiating between the compassionate self and the traumatised self, without rejection

Practices:

Guided imagery: meeting or embodying the compassionate self (with options to pause or stop)
Practising acting “as if” from the compassionate self (in a safe scenario)
Optional creative exercises: drawing, collaging, or describing your compassionate self
Journaling: What might my compassionate self say to me today?

Week 5: Working with Shame and Inner Judgement

Trauma-informed focus: Shame is central in trauma; this week focuses on validating and gently disarming shame with compassion.

Core themes:

Understanding shame: a survival emotion rooted in connection and rejection
The relationship between trauma, attachment, and shame
How compassion can safely approach shame without overwhelming

Practices:

Soothing rhythm breathing with shame-awareness
Shame visualisation (optional and modified for safety)
Compassionate letter-writing about a time of shame (can be written from a distance or using metaphor)
Group discussion (if applicable) around “common humanity”: you are not alone in your pain

Week 6: Allowing and Receiving Compassion

Trauma-informed focus: Many people with trauma histories find it easier to give than to receive. This week focuses on building safety in receiving kindness.

Core themes:

The three flows of compassion: to others, from others, to self
Why receiving compassion can feel threatening or unsafe
Gradual steps to allowing kindness in

Practices:

Imagery of someone offering compassion (with choice – real person, ideal figure, animal, etc.)
“Receiving a compassionate message” exercise (written, visual, or imagined)
Gentle practice of accepting soothing experiences (warm drink, soft blanket, nature sounds)
Reflective journaling: What does it feel like to receive care?

Week 7: Compassion in Action – Behaviour and Boundaries

Trauma-informed focus: Encourage empowerment and choice. Help participants use compassion to set boundaries and act in line with their values.

Core themes:

Compassionate behaviour is not about pleasing others – it involves assertiveness and boundaries
Acting from your compassionate self in challenging situations
Aligning daily actions with your values

Practices:

Role-play or imagined dialogue: responding to a situation as your compassionate self
Values clarification worksheet: What matters most to me?
“What would my compassionate self do?” journaling or reflective exercise
Identifying one small action this week that aligns with compassionate values

Week 8: Consolidation and Moving Forward

Trauma-informed focus: Strengthen sense of agency. Emphasise that healing is ongoing, and setbacks are part of the process.

Core themes:

Review of progress and insights over the 8 weeks
Normalising setbacks and planning for resilience
Creating a personal compassion toolkit

Practices:

Reflection letter: What would I like to say to myself in the future?
Create a personalised maintenance plan:
- What works for me when I’m struggling?
- What are my compassion-based practices?
Group or personal ritual to mark the journey (if in a group setting)
Celebrate strengths and growth, however small

Resources and information:

Balanced Minds CFT and CMT resources:

https://balancedminds.com/compassion-focused-therapy-resources/

Old and new brain:

3 Emotional regulation systems: