Compassion-Focused Therapy
A warm and personal approach that supports you on your journey
What is Compassion Focused Therapy - (CFT)
Compassion-Focused Therapy, or CFT, is a therapeutic approach designed to help people cultivate greater self-kindness, inner support, and self-understanding.
In CFT, we explore how we talk to ourselves, especially during moments of pain, failure, shame, anxiety, or inadequacy. Many people carry a harsh inner critic that can perpetuate emotional distress, low self-esteem, and the feeling of never being enough.
Through this approach, we learn to meet ourselves with greater warmth, clarity, and strength. The goal is not to excuse everything or bypass responsibility, but rather to build a healthier inner support system, allowing us to face life's challenges with more calm, balance, and resilience.
CFT was developed by psychologist Dr. Paul Gilbert. It is rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and principles of mindfulness and compassion.
This approach can be particularly beneficial for those struggling with self-criticism, shame, low self-esteem, anxiety symptoms, stress, burnout, trauma, depression, or emotional imbalance. It is also well-suited for anyone wishing to stand stronger in their own shoes and cultivate a warmer, safer, and more supportive relationship with themselves.
What to expect from a Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)session.
We begin by exploring your reasons for seeking support and looking at your personal history. Following that, you will receive insight into the method and the theories that ground it. From there, we work toward your goals using tools like analysing inner patterns, varied exercises, and practical tasks. Through this approach, we build a valuable toolkit that helps you break negative thought patterns, reduce shame, and foster psychological flexibility in your daily life.
The main pillars of CFT are:
Self-Kindness: Many people struggle with a harsh inner critic that can be deeply destructive. CFT helps transform this voice into one of compassion and self-support.
Self-Regulation and Balance: This approach focuses on helping you regulate your emotions and balance your different emotional systems (the three systems) to increase psychological flexibility, improve emotional regulation, and enhance overall well-being.
Compassion and Kindness Exercises: We use tools like mental visualisation to reduce shame and increase compassion. The goal is to train the mind to respond with understanding and warmth, rather than reacting to difficulties with self-criticism, shame, or distress.
Understanding Suffering: Suffering is viewed as a natural part of human life. The aim is to help you develop gentleness and compassion toward your own struggles.
Practicalities & the Sessions
Sessions: Sessions can be conducted in Icelandic, Swedish or English. Each session is 60 minutes long and takes place online via Microsoft Teams. This format offers flexibility and allows you to remain in the comfort of your own familiar environment during our conversations.
Our sessions are a dynamic process where we work together toward your goals. You will receive practical tools, exercises, and short reading materials to work with between meetings. The goal is for you to gain practical skills that benefit you in your daily life.
Safety and Confidentiality I place great emphasis on safety and a professional approach. I am bound by strict confidentiality and fully adhere to the ethical codes of conduct that apply to counsellors (samtalsterapeut) in Sweden. This forms the foundation for you to feel secure and safe in our space together.
Scope of Service & Limitations: To ensure that every client receives the specialised care they need, it is important to note that my services are best suited for challenges such as self-criticism, shame, low self-esteem, anxiety symptoms, stress, burnout, depression, or emotional imbalance. It is also ideal for those wishing to practice self-advocacy and develop a warmer, safer, and more supportive relationship with themselves.
If you are unsure whether this approach is right for you, feel free to send me an inquiry. I will answer to the best of my ability and evaluate whether I can support you with the specific challenges you are facing.
Please note that my services do not replace clinical psychiatric or psychological treatment, and therefore do not cover the following:
Severe mental illness or clinical diagnoses.
Substance abuse or addiction disorders.
Treatment for complex trauma.
Ingibjörg created a safe and warm space that allowed me to open up and find relief from years of anxiety driven by deeply negative self-thoughts.
Anders L.
I finally understood myself better and could address the constant feeling of never doing enough or being enough. I wish I had reached out for help much earlier.
Anna S.
info@ingibjorginga.com
©Ingibjorg Inga 2025