Formulation is key to all therapeutic approaches. In Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), one type of formulation taps in to an understanding of four key areas:
- our life experiences
- how these have led to the development of key fears and threats
- how we have developed certain safety or protective strategies to manage our fears
- how our safety strategy has led to various unintended consequences
You can find a chapter on how to do this formulation in The Compassionate Mind Workbook, but you can download a blank version of the form here (or look at it below), and also look through a completed example here or below
If you’d like some help to work with gaining confidence with self-compassion practices, try some of our self-compassion courses here
Threat System Formulation
Threat System Formulation - Completed Example
These handouts have all been adapted from the wonderful work of Paul Gilbert – find out more at www.compassiontemind.co.uk