Therapist’s experiences of self-compassion and compassion focused therapy in persistent pain

Abstract

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is a biopsychosocial approach to psychotherapy which aims to reduce experiences of self-criticism and shame by nurturing self compassion. CFT is growing in popularity for use with people with persistent pain and complements the biopsychosocial nature of pain. Therapists are encouraged to develop their own personal practice of self-compassion so they can embody and model the skills and attributes of compassion to their patients in CFT. A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted to understand therapists’ experiences of personally practicing self-compassion techniques. Previous literature has highlighted the emotional challenges that come with being a mental health professional and the role of self-compassion in increasing wellbeing. The systematic review aimed to understand the experiences of therapists who practice techniques to develop self-compassion. A meta-thematic synthesis of 12 primary studies was conducted and 5 analytical themes were developed from the data. Therapists highlighted how developing self-compassion benefitted their personal and professional lives in deeply interconnected ways. While challenging to develop, over time therapists found self-compassion became a philosophy on life that helped them to develop a more compassionate approach to themselves and others. The findings suggested that therapists delivering any therapeutic modality would benefit from self-compassion as part of standard training. ii While the literature review was concerned with therapist’s personal practice of self compassion techniques, the empirical project focused on therapists’ experiences of delivering CFT, particularly in the context of persistent pain. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 clinical psychologists and analysed with Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Therapists described being alongside their patients on a journey with self-compassion that was both rewarding and inspiring. CFT was a useful model for therapists formulating and helping people overcome their challenges with pain. Similarly to the results found in the literature review, therapists benefitted from their own personal practice of self-compassion. Additionally, they benefitted from delivering CFT and sharing in the compassion and connection they offered to patients. The findings of both pieces of research support the notion that developing self compassion is a valuable endeavour for therapists. Further research might explore how personal practice of self-compassion and deliver of CFT in persistent pain are best implemented.