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Specialists in Compassion Focused Therapy & Self-Compassion

How we can help you with Compassion Focused Therapy

At Balanced Minds, everything we do is guided by Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and how self-compassion can transform your life. Since 2012 we’ve helped thousands of people in three main ways:

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

Compassion Focused Therapy Team

Organise to meet one of our warm, supportive and experienced therapists who specialise in CFT & other evidenced based psychological approaches

CFT and Self-Compassion Self-Help

Self-Compassion App

Want help, but feel that therapy isn't quite right at the moment? Explore our compassion inspired online courses, books, audios & videos

Compassion Focused Therapy Training

bespoke compassion focused therapy training

Are you a therapist, clinician or professional interested in learning more about compassion and CFT? Find out about our training, courses & events

Compassion Focused Therapy

 

Are you struggling with anxiety, low self-esteem or depression? Have you lost your focus, drive or passion for life? Do you feel low in confidence, like you’ll never be good enough? Or perhaps you’re just feeling flat, uninspired and a little lost.

If so, Compassion Focused Therapy could be what you’ve been looking for.

We understand that life can sometimes be hard and everyone struggles from time to time. With so much to think about, external pressures and the constant juggle of life, it’s easy to be critical and hard on yourself. To feel fed up, frustrated or overwhelmed.

CFT offers a caring, effective and evidence-based solution. Our professional, qualified and experienced therapists can help you break free from negative self-talk and unhelpful behaviour patterns.

We can help to develop your self-worth and self-confidence so you can lead a happier and more contented life.

Compassion Focused Therapy Sessions London
London

Meet one of our experienced therapists in our Victoria or Kings Cross office

Compassion Focused Therapy Session Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Meet one of our experienced therapists in our central Edinburgh office

online compassion focuse
Online

Meet one of therapists online from the comfort of your own home

Self-Compassion & Compassion Focused Therapy

 Self-Help

 
Need help, but don’t want to work with a therapist? 

Guided by the ideas and practices in Compassion Focused Therapy, we have a wide variety of evidenced based self-help resources and materials that guide you on the path towards happiness and wellbeing.
 

Self-Compassion App and Courses

Laptop showing CFT Course

Find out about our evidence based self-compassion app and online self-guided courses

CFT and Self-Compassion Audios

Image of Headphones for compassion audios

Explore our free to access compassionate mind training (CMT) audio practices

Compassion and CFT
Videos

3 hand drawn people

Explore our collection of interesting compassion based videos and vlogs

CFT and Compassion Books and Reading

Compassionate Mind workbook

Check out these inspiring compassion-based self-help books, and our blog

Compassion Focused Therapy Training

Are you a therapist, health care practitioner or coach, and interested in learning more about how to use Compassion Focused Therapy in your job? 

We’ve got a variety of trainings tailored to those just starting off on their compassion journey, and for people who want to deepen and develop their knowledge and skills further.

What is self-compassion?

Two Day Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy

Learn the key ideas, theory and practices of CFT

Image of Compassionate Mind Training

Learn to run Compassionate Mind Training groups

Find out about of CMT facilitator training

CFT Compassion Focused Therapy Workshops

Specialist & Bespoke Compassion Focused Therapy Workshops

Learn how to use CFT in specific settings & groups

Image Compassion Focused Therapy In The Workplace

Apply Compassion in Organisations and Business

Learn about our workplace & staff wellbeing courses

Some of the organisations we’ve worked 

We’ve been spreading compassion far & wide

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Balanced Minds Reviews

My sessions at Balanced Minds were so helpful - from the referral through to working with my therapist, I could not be happier with the outcome
I cannot imagine a therapeutic environment more caring, supportive or insightful than that provided by Balanced Minds and the compassion-focused approach they offer. Fundamentally, it was the most empowering thing I have ever done.
"Thanks so much for a fabulously helpful and stimulating trainining. It really helped to make the theory concrete and to boost my confidence in delivering this valuable programme. The efforts to group people in terms of similar areas of work on the last day was really valuable."
"A meticulously well planned and wonderful course. I would completely recommend it and have found it both inspiring and hugely informative."
"I see the potential for so much good to come of this course which I am looking forward to offering to the general public. It's a wonderful alternative to Compassion Focused Therapy for those who want to develop their compassionate mind. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone who might be interested in it."
"I really appreciated the effort made to make this course - it is very well structured and with a lot of cutting-edge information."
"I found the content and format of the training excellent. I would recommend this style of training to others within all work sectors. Charlie and Chris outstanding levels of delivery, engaging with different styles were what made the 5 days outstanding 🙂 thank you"
"Charlie and Chris each brought their own style to presenting which made the week interesting but also modelled that CMT/CFT can be undertaken with different authentic styles while keeping to the core principles. It's reassuring and encouraging."
"I really enjoyed the course and I can‘t wait to apply it to my clients. I am also looking forward to the supervision as I assume the exchange of experiences will be super helpful! Thank you very much, Chris and Charlie!"
"Well delivered and well structured training, aimed at really helping participants understand the theoretical concepts as well as develop an active understanding through experiential techniques. Great to also focus on trouble shooting. I feel well equipped to run these courses now. A well balanced training."
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What is Compassion Focused Therapy?

CFT is an integrated psychological approach. It draws from a number of different ideas, theories, practices and interventions but at it’s heart it focuses on two key aspects: (i) The desire to reduce and alleviate distress and suffering and (ii) The desire for happiness, wellbeing, content and connection

The beauty of this approach is that it can help people in different ways. Sometimes we might want to prioritise reducing distress, but at others the focus will be more in cultivating the positive – relationships, meaning and happiness.

Either way, research has found that what helps us to do this is compassion. And here, compassion has three important directions that we can build and strengthen

1. Compassion to others, which helps us feel connected, helpful and useful

2. Compassion from others, which helps us feel cared for, supported and connected

3. Self-compassion, which helps us treat ourselves in a similar way that we might a good friend or loved one. 

People high in self-compassion have repeatedly been found to have lower levels of psychological and mental health distress, as well as higher levels of wellbeing and happiness

What are the Benefits of Compassion Focused Therapy? 

There are now thousands of studies looking at the benefits of developing greater compassion for ourselves and others. Consistently, research has found that compassion – like a muscle or skill (e.g. sport, music, language) and be practiced, strengthened and cultivated. Here are a few highlights

Less Higher
Self-criticism Wellbeing
Worry Happiness
Rumination Self-confidence
Shame Self-esteem
Depression, anxiety & Stress Resilience
 

How we can support you?

If you go to the gym, there are lots of different machines that all help you to get fit. Some might work on particular muscle groups, or others at your whole body, but each help to bring positive changes in fitness.

Similarly, at Balanced Minds, there are a number of ways that we can help you to develop greater compassion in your life. These include:

Therapy – we have a large team of empathetic, experienced and caring therapists who will support you in bringing changes to life. With options for face-to-face sessions in London or Edinburgh, or meeting online from the convenience of your own home, we can find the right match for you

Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) groups – in 2016 we developed an 8 week Compassionate Mind Training group, and published research showing the benefits for attendees. If you’re interested in developing your compassionate mind alongside caring, supportive others, this might be a good option for you.

Guided Audio Practices – if you’d like to practice exercises that have been shown to increase levels of compassion, we’ve got a number of free audios that will help

Guided Self-Help Courses – if you’re keen in developing your compassionate mind, but therapy isn’t the direction you’d like to go in, our self-help courses might be perfect for you. They are designed to over directed, guided ideas and exercises that evidenced based ways of improving wellbeing

Reading – we have published a number of compassion-inspired self-help books, designed to help you understand yourself better, and learn how to develop greater compassion for yourself and others

Self-Compassion App – we have been involved in developing an app that has been found to bring significant benefits to users psychological health