Compassion Focused Group Therapy for the Severely Mentally Ill: A Participant's Workbook

This workbook should be used alongside A Clinician’s Guide to Compassion Focused Group Therapy for the Severely Mentally Ill to aid participants throughout their group journey in compassion focused therapy (CFT). CFT is a type of therapy aimed at understanding, alleviating, and preventing suffering in oneself and others. Divided into 12 modules, group members will move through the content with the support of their therapist. It is designed to be used during and between group sessions. Participants will be able to access and review key pieces of information. Additionally, participants will be able to engage with group material by completing handouts and applying CFT to their own life. Out of session practices can also be found inside, to further support patients in their growth. This is an ideal resource for patients in an inpatient setting, experiencing self-criticism and shame.

Table of Contents:
Introduction and Welcome Module 1 Introduction, Compassion, and Tricky Brain Module 2 Three Systems of Emotion Module 3 Attention Training and Mindfulness Module 4 Feeling Safe and Receiving Compassion From Others Module 5 The Compassionate Self Module 6 The Nature of Multiple Emotions and Finding Balance Module 7 Self-Criticism Module 8 Shame and Guilt Module 9 Deepening Compassion for the Self Module 10 Compassionate Assertiveness Module 11 Forgiveness Module 12 Envisioning a Compassionate Future

About the Author :
Aileen Rands, MS, is a doctoral candidate with over five years of working with SMI individuals. She is currently completing her pre-doctoral internship at a Veteran Affairs Administration. She is an emerging psychologist with an interest in severe psychopathology and group psychotherapy. Doug Benson, PsyD, DBT-LBC, is a psychologist with 20 years of experience working with SMI. He is board-certified in DBT, a clinical supervisor for Utah State Hospitals psychology internship/postdoc, develops treatment programming, participates in clinical research in conjunction with Brigham Young University, and provides clinical services. Amanda L. Rapacz, PsyD, has worked for the State of Utah in the Department of Health and Human Services at Utah State Hospital since 2009 and is currently the Assistant Superintendent. She is the licensed psychologist serving on the State of Utah’s Division of Professional Licensing Behavioral Health Board. Her passion for the field of psychology and working with individuals who have severe and persistent mental illness has led to presidential positions on the Utah Psychological Association and NAMI-Utah boards. Gary Burlingame, PhD, has 40+ years of training, teaching, and research experience on effective group therapies, recognized by USA and international professional associations. He began focusing on outpatient SMI treatment in the 1990s, with 25 years of service developing inpatient group programming. He is the past president of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and the Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy.