Compassionate mind training for people with high shame and self‐criticism: overview and pilot study of a group therapy approach

Abstract Compassionate mind training (CMT) was developed for people with high shame and self‐criticism, whose problems tend to be chronic, and who find self‐warmth and self‐acceptance difficult and/or frightening. This paper offers a short overview of the role of shame and self‐criticism in psychological difficulties, the importance of considering different types of affect system (activating versus soothing) and the theory and therapy process of CMT. The paper explores patient acceptability, understanding, abilities to utilize and practice compassion focused processes and the effectiveness of CMT from an uncontrolled trial. Six patients attending a cognitive–behavioural‐based day centre for chronic…