Compassion Focused Therapy In Forensic Practice
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Originally pioneered by Paul Gilbert in the UK, compassion focused therapy (CFT) is an integrated, multi-modal approach to treatment that draws from evolutionary, social, developmental, and Buddhist psychology as well as neuroscience. CFT arose from an array of observations, including that people with high levels of shame and self-criticism can have enormous difficulty in being kind or compassionate toward others and even towards themselves (Gilbert, 2009). Further, practitioners realized that shame and self-criticism often result from trauma and adverse childhood experiences. CFT therefore dovetails effectively with other forms of trauma-informed care.
CFT is gaining currency in forensic practice and can be helpful in working with people who have committed acts of violence. Research has identified compassion, on its own, as an important element of treatment in psychotherapy and in well-known approaches such as motivational interviewing. CFT goes beyond other established approaches through its bio-psycho-social theoretical underpinnings and its focus on building the client’s capacity for compassion.
This training on the forensic application of CFT begins with a compassionate understanding of the origins of harmful behavior. It explores how one task of forensic practice is helping clients reimagine their sense of guilt within the context of compassionate motivations (for example, feeling bad about one’s actions rather than about one’s self and building on one’s inherent motivation to live amicably within society). The training next addresses the application of CFT to those whose crimes cause significant harm to others. It guides professionals in considering a trauma-informed approach to case formulation and draws on a compassionate understanding of the difficulties that can emerge from the survival strategies that human beings deploy under extreme adversity. Finally, the training addresses the importance of self-compassion for professional self-care in order to facilitate a compassionate (and sustainable) context for treatment.
Topics discussed include:
- Human nature and human harmfulness
- Theoretical foundations of CFT
- Key aspects of CFT
- Framework for forensic CFT
- Outcomes of CFT
1) Describe compassion and its evolutionary basis
2) Explain the evolutionary context of criminogenic need and shame
3) Apply a compassionate formulation to criminogenic need
4) Implement treatment approaches for ameliorating self-criticism and shame
5) Use treatment techniques to develop compassion in clients in order to facilitate their capacities for self-regulation and guilt
6) Practice self-compassion for professional self-care and effective therapy
Audience
This training is for professionals working with people who have who have perpetrated abuse. Professionals who will benefit from this training include social workers, psychologists, clinical counselors, and interested paraprofessionals.
Content Level
Disclosure
Continuing Education Approval
American Psychological Association (APA)
Safer Society Foundation, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Safer Society Foundation, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Who's Presenting
Kerensa Hocken
Dr. Kerensa Hocken is a registered forensic psychologist. She has worked with people convicted of sexual offences for 20 years and has responsibility for the strategic development of custodial sexual offending services in the Midlands region of the UK. In 2016 she was the winner of the prestigious Butler Trust award for excellence in correctional services, presented by Princess Anne. Kerensa is a trustee and co-founder of the Safer Living Foundation (SLF), a charity to prevent sexual abuse by working with those who have offended or are at risk of, committing a sexual offence. Kerensa is a member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation and cofounder of the CFT forensic special interest group.
Jon Taylor
Dr. Jon Taylor is a consultant forensic psychologist and psychotherapist who has worked in range of prison, secure hospital, and community forensic settings for almost 30 years. With a keen interest in developing a rich understanding of the role of trauma in the lives of those who develop offending behaviors, Jon is committed to promoting and modelling a compassionate and co-operative approach to all aspects of forensic service provision. Jon is a member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation and cofounder of the CFT forensic special interest group.