This exercise on our compassionate image is to help us imagine a compassionate other and open to the flow of receiving compassion. Although you are receiving compassion from this image, it has been generated from within you, so you are in effect both giving and receiving compassion. It is a way of developing an inner guide that you can consult when you are struggling. 

This exercise is taken from The Compassionate Mind Approach to Postnatal Depression by Michelle Cree (Robinson 2015), with permission from the author and Little, Brown Book Group.

Compassionate Image

Through out the day we move in and out of different 'parts' of ourselves. We may have an angry part, a part that is anxious or a sad part as well as many many others. In this exercise we are trying to cultivate the part of ourselves that we want to be manifested most in our lives and that can be most helpful for us. With the compassionate mind approach we are aiming to cultivate the part of us that can be strong, wise, supportive, kind and warm in the face of difficulties. Even if we don't feel we are this person, we can decide that we wish to become a little more like this and practice thinking, feeling and behaving as if we were becoming a more compassionate person. The key message of this exercise is that we can purposefully grow that part of us that we want to become. 

This exercise is taken from The Compassionate Mind Approach to Postnatal Depression by Michelle Cree (Robinson 2015), with permission from the author and Little, Brown Book Group.

Becoming Your Compassionate Self

"This is one of the key mindfulness practices because so much is learned from it...The body holds memories for us. We may rather not think about our body so this exercise may be hard. If so, start by initially focusing just on one area of the body that you may find comfortable such as the soles of the feet...
When we turn towards our body we learn that emotions and bodily experiences never stay the same, wax and wane, come and go." 

This exercise is taken from The Compassionate Mind Approach to Postnatal Depression by Michelle Cree (Robinson 2015), recorded with permission from the author and Little, Brown Book Group and can also be downloaded from the resources section of the book.

Mindfulness To The Body

Soothing breathing rhythm has many functions and provides a support on which other exercises rest. Our breath is always with us so if we can learn to recruit it to help us, we have a powerful way of helping ourselves that is with us all the time.

This exercise is taken from The Compassionate Mind Approach to Postnatal Depression by Michelle Cree (Robinson 2015), recorded with permission from the author and Little, Brown Book Group and can also be downloaded from the resources section of the book.

Soothing Breathing Rhythm

Compassionate Image And Compassionate Community

These tracks feature Dr James Kirby delivering Compassion-Focused Therapy exercises in order to help build individual's own compassionate self.

CFT - Mindful Breathing

CFT - Compassionate State

CFT - Safe Place Imagery

CFT - Compassion Flowing Into Oneself

CFT - Leaves On The Stream

Welcome to Self is a 9 minute guided meditation exploring the relationship we have with ourself

Welcome to Self Guided Meditation

Ψυχολόγος, ιδρύτρια του Ελληνικού Κέντρου Θεραπείας Εστιασμένης στη Συμπόνια. 
Με χαρά σας μοιράζομαι ασκήσεις από την Εκπαίδευση του Συμπονετικού Νου για να σας βοηθήσουν στην ανάπτυξη της συμπόνιας προς τον εαυτό σας και τους άλλους.  

Psychologist, CFT therapist, trainer and supervisor, founder of the Greek centre for Compassion Focused Therapy. I am passionate about de-shaming mental health challenges, compassion based approaches to mental health and living. Here you can find audio exercises wishing to help you cultivate your compassionate mind and develop self-compassion.

Compassionate Image

Elli Tholouli

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