Developing Self Compassion as a Resource for Coping with Hardship: Exploring the Potential of Compassion Focused Therapy
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Developing Self Compassion as a Resource for Coping with Hardship: Exploring the Potential of Compassion Focused Therapy Alvin Lander1
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract This article explores the potential of compassion focused therapy for developing self compassion as a resource for young people coping with hardship. Theoretical and research perspectives that point to the therapeutic potential of compassion, in particular self compassion, are presented. Compassion focused therapy (CFT) is introduced as a well delineated and empirically supported approach that may facilitate the development of self compassion. An illustration is offered which demonstrates the contribution of compassion focused-therapy based interventions to the coping of a 15 year old boy experiencing post-divorce paternal disengagement. The complexity related to practitioner readiness to utilize CFT is discussed, as well as that associated with the utilization of compassion promoting interventions with children and adolescents. Keywords Compassion · Self compassion · Compassion focused therapy · Non residential parental disengagement Compassion may be an important resource for children and adolescents facing hardship. Self compassion in particular, may contribute to coping and resilience especially in those who are struggling with issues of guilt, shame and self worth related to painful life experiences (Brill & Nahmani, 2017). While the social work literature recognizes the importance of compassion amongst service providers and clients, there is little focus on therapeutic approaches and methods that facilitate the generation of compassion, and in particular self compassion (D’Amico-Guthrie, Smith Ellison, Sami, & Tyson-McCrea, 2014; Glover-Larick & Graff, 2012; Thieleman & Cacciatore, 2014; Ying & Han, 2009). This paper delineates theoretical and research perspectives on compassion, chiefly self compassion recognized as the substructure necessary for compassion toward others (D’Amico-Guthrie et al., 2014; Germer & Neff, 2013). Compassion focused therapy (CFT) is presented as a coherent and empirically supported therapeutic approach that may facilitate the promotion of self compassion. An illustration of the application of CFT with a 15 year old boy experiencing post-divorce paternal disengagement is presented. Important challenges related to practitioner readiness to
* Alvin Lander [email protected]; [email protected] 1
School of Social Work, Sapir College, Sderot, Israel
utilize compassion focused therapy based interventions are discussed, as well as those related to the use of CFT with children and adolescents.
Compassion Suffering is a defining experience in human social life and compassion has been deemed a prototypical response to suffering associated with a wide range of conditions including abuse and neglect, poverty, illness and disability (Lee & James, 2013; MacBeth & Gumley, 2012; Stellar, Oveis, Cohen, & Keltner, 2015). Often considered an important human strength, compassion
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