The Compassionate Mind (Compassion Focused Therapy)

by Paul A. Gilbert

Why do we call this approach a compassionate mind approach rather than just a compassion approach? First, it’s a term that has been used many times in various spiritual traditions. More importantly, however, it helps us to focus on the fact that our minds work in terms of patterns. If you access one pattern, you’ll make another less easy to generate. If you’re very anxious, this can block (patterns for) feelings of calm; if you’re very angry, this can block (patterns for) feelings of kindness. Different patterns in our brain turn different systems on and off. You can’t feel relaxed and frightened or angry and loving at the same time. You can switch between them, of course, but you can’t feel them simultaneously. One pattern negates another.