In this video, Dr Stan Steindl discusses CFT assessments and offers tips regarding three things the CFT therapist keeps in mind while having that first assessment conversation with the person they are working with, as well as some suggested questionnaires the CFT therapist might use to inform their case formulation. The original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/gEYHY1ErnNY

In the last video from Compassion in a T-Shirt, Dr Stan Steindl discussed What is Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)? In this video, he explores this question further by outlining an example session-by-session CFT therapy plan, divided into four phases and 12 sessions. The original video on YouTube can be found here: https://youtu.be/JA-jYu9YDOU

Compassion-based interventions have been found to be very effective in enhancing compassion, self-compassion and mindfulness, reducing depression, anxiety and psychological distress, and increasing wellbeing. One such approach is compassion focused therapy (CFT). In this video, Dr Stan Steindl will briefly describe CFT, its origins and theories, as well as some of the practical components that CFT can involve. The original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/eKwNGIFffcU

Having explored the semantics of Compassion Versus Kindness, and Compassion as a Form of Kindness, Dr Stan Steindl returns to a more practical focus in this video, discussing kind and compassionate well-wishes. The foundations of these well-wishes are "May you be happy" (sending kind wishes) and "May you be free from suffering" (sending compassionate wishes). But we can create whatever kind and compassionate well-wishes we feel are most pertinent and relevant, especially when we send them to a loved one, and to ourselves, when we are experiencing some sort of trouble. The original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/RynTYY9B1yg

In a previous video, Dr Stan Steindl discussed Compassion Versus Kindness, how they are defined and how they are different. This video goes further, suggesting that perhaps kindness, referring to actions intended to benefit others, is the overarching construct while compassion is simply a form of kindness in the context of suffering.

The words compassion and kindness are sometimes used interchangeably. But are they really the same thing? In this video, Dr Stan Steindl will reflect on compassion versus kindness, the definitions of each, as well as a recent study that has explored the differences in semantics of the words "compassion" and "kindness". It seems that not only are the definitions different, but that people can generally distinguish the two when judging various examples of prosocial scenarios. There can certainly be kindness without suffering or compassion, but can there ever be compassion without kindness? Please write your comments below! And the original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/DcipzyOzqFc

This video follows on from the previous two videos about The Compassionate Friend. However, here, Dr Stan Steindl discusses creating the "ideal compassionate other." This involves imagining an ideal being, without human weaknesses or flaws, who is exactly the kind of compassionate other that we want and would feel most helpful. If you would like to write your thoughts and ideas down on the "Creating Your Ideal Compassionate Other" handout mentioned in the video, go to the link below to download the PDF. And if you would like to watch the original video, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/TKdb_1IcC5s

Creating Your Ideal Compassionate Other Handout:

https://psychologyconsultants-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/stan_psychologyconsultants_com_au/Ebm1vW2kVp5AhMiSTC9Ypy0BJqViUIMIOr7xLWwnsmAJXQ?e=vO7VeN

The Compassionate Friend - Part 2 offers a guided practice of the Compassionate Friend Exercise, an exercise commonly used in compassion focused therapy and other compassion-based interventions. It incorporates earlier exercises offered in previous videos, not least Soothing Rhythm Breathing and the Safe Place Exercise. Give it a try! And write your thoughts, comments and questions below. The original video can be found here: https://youtu.be/MGmGq3XvlHA

The Compassionate Friend Exercise is a powerful practice during times of discomfort, distress or suffering, and involves bringing to mind the image of a compassionate person or other living being, and finding solace and support from them. In this video, Dr Stan Steindl briefly describes creating a compassionate friend as well as his own experience with this exercise, using music to further illustrate the ideas. The next video, The Compassionate Friend - Part 2, will be a chance to try the Compassionate Friend Exercise for yourself! The original video of this podcast can be found here: https://youtu.be/ghlS_zrfYfQ

Shame is often place side-by-side with guilt, as if the two are the same or come as a pair: “shame and guilt.” However they are very different emotions, arising from very different emotion systems, with very different motivations. In this video, Dr Stan Steindl explores the differences, shame having a threat protection motivation arising from the threat system, and guilt having a caring motivation arising from the soothing-affiliative system. Important from the perspective of the compassionate mind, with differentiating shame from guilt helpful for finding the most effective ways to work with each of them. To see the original video, please go to the link here: https://youtu.be/ClAT6R5cdos