COMPASSION FOCUSED THERAPY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
With the special participation of Paul Gilbert
Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of November 2021
For the first time ever in Italy, you will be able to join more than 15 of the greatest international experts in Compassion Focused Therapy, among which Paul Gilbert, Nicola Petrocchi, James Kirby, Marcela Matos, Dennis Tirch and Kate Lucre, and keep up to date on all fields of application of Compassion Focused Therapy in several clinical and research areas.
The event is organized In partnership with Compassionate Mind Italia, the official Italian branch of the Compassionate Mind Foundation led by Paul Gilbert.
Nicola Petrocchi, the president of the italian association, is an active member of the English Foundation, member of the English research committee and has been collaborating for more than 10 years with Prof. Paul Gilbert in research projects on the efficacy of CFT.
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) has been developed by Prof. Paul Gilbert, who has long been involved in scientific research on shame and self – criticism, transdiagnostic factors in many mental disorders. Thanks to the mounting number of research data, CFT has become one of the most promising and effective therapeutic approaches for the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as eating disorders and psychosis.
CFT adopts an evolutionary and bio-psycho-social perspective of psychopathology and its maintaining factors, based on the fact that the three emotional regulation systems in our brain can go out of balance. These three systems are notably the threat system, the drive system and the soothing system.
CFT proposes a process of change (rebalancing the three emotional systems) that occurs through the reactivation and the training of an innate motivational system (compassion, for the self and for others). The Compassionate Motivational system has lately been a protagonist of many neuroscience and psychophysiology research studies, for its positive effects on emotional regulation, self-criticism, our ability to mentalize and even our immune and cardiovascular systems.
In this online summit, the most renowned experts and researchers in the world of CFT will share their research data, clinical vignettes, meditation practices and several clinical applications of CFT for different mental disorders (such as eating disorder patients, psychosis, complex PTSD, antisocial disorder) and its possible integration with other powerful therapeutic approaches (ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
Prof. Paul Gilbert, founder of Compassion Focused Therapy, will be opening this extraordinary event. Dr. Nicola Petrocchi and Dr. James Kirby will close the Summit with a final keynote to explore the frontiers of Compassion Focused Therapy.
In between talks, participants will be able to experience short sessions of Compassion Focused Yoga, Meditations and live musical performances, enabling them to discover new ways of activating their soothing system through different portals of Compassion, such as the body and the vibrations of music.
Trainers
Paul Gilbert
Psychotherapist; founder of Compassion Focused Therapy; Prof. at the University of Derby, UK
Nicola Petrocchi
Psychotherapist; founder and president of Compassionate Mind Italia; international trainer; Prof. at John Cabot University, Rome.
James Kirby
Clinical psychologist; co-director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group; Prof. at Queensland University, Australia.
Kate Lucre
Psychotherapist; supervisor specialized in the application of CFT to complex trauma; international trainer.
Jeffrey Kim
Researcher at the Queensland Brain Institute, Australia on neurophysiological correlates of compassion and fMRI analysis.
Charlie Heriot Maitland
Clinical psychologist; trainer at the Balanced Minds center of London; researcher at the NHS; supervisor and international trainer in CFT.
Elizabeth Svanholmer
Self-taught facilitator and organiser of trainings, supervisions and other ways of people coming together to learn and connect about voices.
Rufus May
Clinical psychologist; manages the in-patient psychology service in Bolton, Lancashire; expert in Voice dialogue.
Tobyn Bell
Psychotherapist; international trainer and supervisor in CFT; expert in Compassion Focused Chaiwork.
Julian Thayer
Psychophysiologist; researcher and Prof. at the University of California, Irvine and Ohio; More than 400 published articles, “Highly Cited Researcher” in 2020.
Allison Kelly
Clinical psychologist; Prof. at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; expert in CFT and eating disorders; international trainer.
Cristina Ottaviani
Psychotherapist; Prof. at the University La Sapienza, Rome; psychophysiologist specialized in the neurophysiological correlates of perseverative cognition.
Marcela Matos
Psychologist; researcher at the University of Coimbra, Portugal; Presided of Mind Portugal; expert in Compassion Focused Group Therapy.
Stan Steindl
Psychologist; Prof at the Queensland University, Brisbane, Australia; co-director of the UQ Compassionate Mind research group.
Daniel Rijo
Psychotherapist; Prof. at the University of Coimbra, Portugal; researchers at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology, Coimbra.
Diana Ribeiro da Silva
Clinical psychologist; researcher at the Psicologa clinica; ricercatrice al Center for Research in Neuropsychology, Coimbra; Psychologist at UpC3, Coimbra.
Lisa McLean
Clinical psychologist; expert in Mindfulness and CompassionFocused Group Therapy; specialized in working with trauma.
Dennis Tirch
Psychotherapist; founder and director of The Center for CFT, New York; president of the Compassionate Mind Foundation, USA; Prof. at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York.
Deborah Lee
Clinical psychologist; Prof. at the University College, London; director of the Berkshire NHS Traumatic Stress Service.
Laura Silberstein
Clinical psychologist; director of The Center for CFT, New York; Prof. at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine; international trainer in ACT-CFT.
Hannah Gilbert
Hannah Gilbert, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and lecturer in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
09.00 – 09.30am
Summit opening
Nicola Petrocchi and Nicola Piccinini will bring their opening greetings, illustrate the map of the two days of summit, briefly touching upon the mission of this event and its structure.
09.30 – 10.30am
Evolution and state of the art of CFT
In this talk Paul will explore the history and development of compassion focused therapy (CFT) as an evolution informed, biopsychosocial model to psychotherapy. He will outline how the roots of compassion are in the evolution of mammalian caring behaviour particularly of attachment. This gave rise to the evolution of two different threat regulation systems referred to as safety and safeness. The evolution of caring behaviour was accompanied with a range of physiological processes that are a target for change in CFT. However, what turns caring into compassion is related to the evolution of more recent cognitive competencies which are also a central focus in CFT. The talk will highlight that CFT focuses on the cultivation of the care motivational system that enables individuals to access physiological systems that support threat regulation, modify unhelpful competitive motives and behaviour and create an inner secure base and safe haven.
10.45am – 11.45pm
Neuroscience of Compassion
In this presentation Jeffrey and James will be presenting the latest work on the neuroscience of compassion. It will feature a review of the state of evidence of fMRI compassion neuroimaging studies. It will then zoom in on the specific neuroscientific research of Compassionate Mind Training, where they will present results from a recently completed research study which examined neural responses of participants when confronted with disappointments (e.g., rejection, failure) using two fundamental self-regulatory styles, self-criticism and self-reassurance (a compassionate motivated relating style). They will also discuss the role of imagery and attachment style has on our abilities to be both self-reassuring and self-critical. Finally, the presentation will conclude with several recommendations for future CMT neuroimaging studies, highlighting the need for the inclusion of multi-modal measurements, randomized controlled trial designs that include active comparison control groups.
12.00 – 01.00pm
Compassionate approaches to voices
Firstly, Charlie, Elisabeth and Rufus will discuss the context of a world that does not want to listen to voices – how the dominant approach is to ignore and silence voices. Secondly, given this context, they will explore how we can create the conditions(e.g. in our bodies, minds and social worlds) to do things differently. How the fear of voice hearing in our culture means that we might need to do a lot of work with the person and their support network to create the safeness needed to try a different way of relating to voices. They will share a range of ways one can support someone who hears voices to build a compassionate self and a sense of emotional safety. Sometimes voices can help this process and we will share examples. Thirdly, they will be sharing stories of building more compassionate relationships with voices.
01.00 – 02.00 Lunch break
02.00 – 03.00
Chairwork and role-taking in compassion focused therapy
This dyadic presentation will focus on chairwork and role-taking within compassion-focused therapy. The presentation will include two demonstrations of experiential practice between Kate and Tobyn, demonstrating core principles and processes of chairwork and role-taking, comparing the two approaches and the ways in which they facilitate various flows of compassion. There will be an emphasis on using these approaches with clients with attachment and relational trauma, and in adapting such experiential interventions to online delivery
03.00 – 03.15pm
COMPASSION FOCUSED YOGA SESSION
Compassion Focused Yoga stems from the integration of the compassionate intention that is cultivated in Compassion Focused Therapy and the practices of Yoga, which address the body, mind and heart. With this brief session, you will be able to live through your body and breath the concepts explored during the Summit, regulating the nervous system and kindly bringing your attention to rest on what lands within you in the present moment. The therapeutic approaches of Yoga are ever increasing and its many points in common with Compassion Focused Therapy make it a precious therapeutic ally.
3.15 – 4.15pm
Physiology of Compassion – The Compassionate Vagus
Humans are social animals. Therefore an understanding of the physiological concomitants of such social processes is useful in understanding human behavior. The vagus nerve serves various roles in the body including the regulation of social behavior. In the present talk, Julian will outline the structure, function, and neural correlates of the vagus and its observable indicator, heart rate variability (HRV). Furthermore, he will propose that the vagus and HRV are related to our ability to distinguish threat from safety and that this is critical for successful social relationships. Importantly, he will discuss the possible evolutionary origins of compassion in the context of human self-domestication. The talk will review the findings on HRV and emotion regulation, marital satisfaction, partner relationships, social support, and oxytocin. Finally, Julian will highlight several ways in which HRV may be modified and how these might serve to better our social relationships.
04.30 – 05.30
Integrating Compassion-Focused Therapy into Eating Disorders Case Formulation and Treatment
Drawing on empirical research, this talk will highlight several ways in which clinicians can integrate compassion-focused therapy into the way they formulate cases and work with people who have eating disorders. By the end of this talk, clinicians will be able to understand eating disorder symptoms in terms of the key evolved affect regulatory processes they engage; appreciate how fostering greater access to compassion in clients can help balance these affect regulatory processes and thereby facilitate eating disorder symptom remission; help clients recognize and replace their self-critical, shame-driven approach to behaviour change with a more patient, caring approach; and better understand and overcome long-term barriers to self-compassion. Allison will use case examples and experiential practices to illustrate how CFT can be used to augment current treatment approaches for individuals with eating disorders, particularly those with long-standing shame and self-criticism.
05.30 – 06.00pm
Closing Meditation and Live Music
Nicola Petrocchi will guide participants in a closing meditation that will enable them to experientially integrate the insights harvested during the first day of the Summit and to continue to cultivate a compassionate intention for the rest of the evening. The meditation will give way to a moment of meditative music played live for us.
Saturday November 13th, 2021
09.00 – 09.30am
Summit opening
To open the second day, Nicola Petrocchi and Nicola Piccinini will briefly reflect upon the talks of the first day and will then proceed to describe the program of the last day of the Summit.
09.30 – 10.30am
Rumination, vagus nerve and compassion – physiology of the compassionate presence
Perseverative cognition (especially rumination and worry) is today recognized as a transdiagnostic factor for the onset, maintenance and relapses of psychiatric disorders, as well as a risk factor for health. Perseverative cognition represents a rigid and inflexible response to an environment characterized by high levels of intrusivity and difficulty in “defusing” from thoughts. From a neurophysiological perspective, this can be interpreted as a deficit in inhibitory control and several studies support this deficit both centrally and peripherally. In this talk, Cristina and Nicola will present the data collected in these studies, focusing in particular on measures such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The study of these indicators is crucial to better understand the mind – body interactions during perseverative cognition, with the final aim of promoting top-down therapeutic approaches (eg: Non Invasive Brain Stimulation, NIBS) as well as bottom – up (eg: HRV biofeedback).
10.45am – 11.45pm
Working with shame memories through compassion focused imagery and letter writing
Shame is a powerful and universal human emotion, evolved to assist us to navigate our social relationships. Unfortunately, shame is also profoundly painful and can have serious adverse effects on psychological functioning and mental health. Shame memories have been found to become central to our sense of self-identity, and can have traumatic qualities that maintain and exacerbate threat system activation, especially in the social and relational aspects of our lives. However, cultivating compassion, especially receiving compassion from others and from the self, have been found to buffer the negative impact of shame experiences. Cultivating a sense of compassion flowing to the Shamed Self can be achieved through compassion focused imagery, and also through compassionate letter writing. These two approaches offer both complementary and/or alternative approaches to working with shame memories. This workshop will offer information about shame and shame memories, as well as experiential exercises incorporating imagery and letter writing techniques.
12.00 – 01.00pm
CFT with young offenders with psychopathic traits: does it work?
There is a lack of tailored interventions targeting the treatment needs of young offenders with psychopathic traits. Based on theoretical assumptions, empirical data, and clinical practice, a research team developed the PSYCHOPATHY.COMP, a 20-session individual intervention program based on Compassion Focused Therapy. The PSYCHOPATHY.COMP aims to reduce psychopathic traits and disruptive behavior among young offenders through the development of a compassionate motivation. The main goal of this talk is to present the PSYCHOPATHY.COM program, illustrating its delivery with a clinical case. Findings of a clinical trial with detained young offenders will also be presented, paying attention to the impact over psychopathic traits, shame, fears of compassion, compassion for the self and others, and social safeness.
01 – 02pm – Lunch Break
02.00 – 03.00pm
Compassion Focused, Trauma Informed Approaches to Working with Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Compassion focused therapy has been developed to help people who struggle with shame and self- criticism. There has been much interest in using compassion focused approaches with clients who have experienced abusive attachment experiences including Childhood Sexual Abuse and recent research evidence has shown promising results in this area. However, there are important considerations to be borne in mind when using CFT to work with clients who have experienced trauma as the approach requires sensitive and trauma-informed delivery which takes into account the pervasive impact of trauma and risk of re-traumatisation. In this presentation, Lisa and Laura will present a framework which highlights theoretical synergy for the applicability of CFT to survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. They will discuss the relationship between reduced self- compassion and several perpetuating factors that maintain symptoms severity, (such as decreased self- compassion is associated with increased psychological inflexibility, increased emotion dysregulation, low window of tolerance, increased shame, and profound self- loathing). They will also highlight how CFT targets the key symptoms associated with interpersonal trauma and CSA but that adaptations are required, for CFT to be delivered and received, in a trauma sensitive way.
03.00 – 03.15pm
COMPASSION FOCUSED YOGA SESSION
Compassion Focused Yoga stems from the integration of the compassionate intention that is cultivated in Compassion Focused Therapy and the practices of Yoga, which address the body, mind and heart. With this brief session, you will be able to live through your body and breath the concepts explored during the Summit, regulating the nervous system and kindly bringing your attention to rest on what lands within you in the present moment. The therapeutic approaches of Yoga are ever increasing and its many points in common with Compassion Focused Therapy make it a precious therapeutic ally.
03.15 – 04.15pm
Compassion Focused ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
Advances in research have suggested that compassion training may be a significant, active process in psychotherapy effectiveness. Rather than merely being kind, the deliberate activation of compassion can help generate the courage and psychological flexibility we need to face life’s challenges. Training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) can provide an evidence-based path for working with compassion in psychotherapy. Many therapists who have expertise in other evidence-based therapies are interested in adopting CFT principles and methods, but might not be ready, or able, to make a complete shift in orientation and training in order to help clients practice cultivate compassion in new ways. Thankfully, CFT has been designed as a modular and user-friendly approach, which can be integrated with a range of therapies including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In this talk, Dennis and Laura will introduce a new approach, using Compassion Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CFACT) to help patients cultivate psychological flexibility, and to overcome anxiety and shame-based suffering. Participants will learn the basics of the CFACT model; grounded in CFT, ACT, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) and Buddhist Psychology (BP). Introductory experiential exercises, including compassion focused imagery practices, will provide direct experience of this model in action.
04.30 – 05.10
Frontiers of CFT
This talk will give a brief overview of how compassion focused therapy (CFT) has expanded over the last 20 years and is now utilised in many areas of psychotherapy, using an integrative multi process approach. It will review some of the scientific developments and applications to different mental health problems. In addition, the evolution and biopsychosocial model of CFT is also being utilised in other areas such as business, education, and politics. Paul, Nicola and James will explore the implications of these developments and will discuss the unfolding of the 12 module CFT Manual to be used in both individual and group therapy settings.
05.10 – 05.30pm
Concluding Reflections: A Cross-Cultural and Cross-Gender Look at the Present and Future of Compassion Focused Therapy.
Hannah Gilbert will guide us through an exploration of the various cross-cultural declinations of Compassion Focused Therapy, with particular attention on the elements linked to overcoming gender issues.
05.30 – 06.00
Closing Meditation and Final Remarks
In this final meditation we will have the chance to nurture the three flows of compassion, experiencing their transformative power so that it may accompany and support us on our paths as therapists and most importantly people.
JOIN US!
The Compassionate Summit will take place on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of November 2021, for a total of 16 hours of specialized training. The event is registered to grant 16 CEUs in Distance Learning, with live presence not being mandatory.
Super PROMO
Valid until Sunday September 26th, 2021-
16 hours of education
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Unlimited access for 12 months
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Certificate of Participation
Early Booking
Valid until Sunday October 31, 2021-
16 hours of education
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Unlimited access for 12 months
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Certificate of Participation
Cost of Participation
Valid until Thursday 11 November, 2021-
16 hours of education
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Unlimited access for 12 months
-
Certificate of Participation