Compassion Focused Therapy at Combat Stress Part 1

For some of the veterans we treat, their individual experiences in childhood, during their military career or after leaving the military, have led to strong feelings of shame and a tendency to think about themselves in negative, highly critical ways. This is where Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) comes in.

Compassion means being sensitive to suffering (whether it’s your own or others’) and taking committed action to try to relieve that suffering.

CFT draws on neuroscience, evolutionary and psychological theory to help people cultivate compassion for themselves and others. It focuses on three main motivational systems our brains use to manage our emotional states. These are known as the Threat System, the Drive System and the Soothing System. Each system performs a vital function, and they work best when they are in balance with each other. However, these systems can become unbalanced in response to life events. For example, being exposed to highly dangerous or traumatic situations (such as those often experienced in the military) can result in the overdevelopment of the Threat System, associated with emotions such as anxiety, anger and shame. Without enough opportunities to experience warmth, care and understanding, the Soothing System, which is associated with feelings of contentment and wellbeing, can become underdeveloped.

By learning to notice their emotional states and developing self-compassion skills, veterans can learn to rebalance these motivational systems. This allows veterans to respond to difficult emotions with wisdom and understanding and take helpful action when faced with life’s challenges.