The Compassion-Focused Therapy programme was developed for service users whose mental health difficulties are maintained by high levels of shame and self-criticism, and who are motivated to work on these issues with others in a group.
The group aims to help participants learn new ways of understanding their difficulties and develop a different way of relating to themselves.
Through becoming more self-compassionate, group members become better able to engage with their distress and to work toward alleviating that distress.
During the programme, members learn and practice compassionate imagery exercises, work with their self-critical ways of thinking, and identify compassionate behaviours to move them toward desired changes. The group typically meets one day per week over a period of five to six months.
Referrals are accepted from psychologists working with multidisciplinary teams at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS). Currently, places are only available to service users under the care of a consultant psychiatrist at SPMHS.
This programme is available for inpatients and day patients.
