An Introduction to CFT for Eating Disorders - in Ireland

About the Course

This workshop is designed to introduce the principles, philosophy and techniques of Compassion Focused Therapy CFT, how these can be modified and applied to help people recover from an eating disorder. It introduces a specific approach to eating disorder formulation and treatment (Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders – CFT-E) and evidence that supports its incorporation into mainstream eating disorder treatment.

The workshop consists of didactic teaching, role plays and the practice of key CFT techniques (such as imagery and breathing exercises). It is aimed at health professionals who are working, or want to work, therapeutically with people with an eating disorder.

This is an introductory workshop, and no previous knowledge of CFT is required.

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Compassion Focused Therapy and Compassionate Mind Training

Compassion focused therapy is derived from the evolutionary model of social mentality therapy (Gilbert 1989, 1995, 2005a,b, 2007). CFT was developed to help people who frequently experience shame and self-criticism. These factors have been associated with the development and maintenance of a range of mental health problems, and are often difficult to treat using traditional psychotherapeutic approaches.

CFT is a scientific model that draws on many branches of psychology (e.g., developmental social and evolutionary) and neuroscience science. It has a specific formulation model that notes that internal and external experiences can activate our "threat" system. We find various ways to manage these painful emotions and thoughts as best we can. Sometimes this can lead to unintended consequences that can exacerbate our problems and make it even more difficult to manage life’s challenges.

Key to CFT is the idea that we have evolved with a brain and emotional systems that can be very difficult to manage, and that much of the way we respond to the world is not our fault, but our (often automatic) responses to threat. However understanding these responses can help us to take responsibility for the ways we respond to threat, and find new, more adaptive, ways of coping.

CFT is designed to help clinicians develop therapeutic relationships that are most likely to be helpful for people who experience high levels of shame and self-criticism, or who find compassion and receiving care from others (including their therapist) difficult to manage. It is an integrative approach, utilising the wisdom of both Western and Eastern approaches to helping people change. CFT argues that we can be taught to train our minds (Compassionate Mind Training) to help us to experience compassion, develop various aspects of compassion for ourselves and others, improve our abilities to self-soothe and affiliate with others, and to foster the courage and wisdom we need to cope with difficult life events, memories or emotions.

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