A Memory Of Feeling Cared For

There is much research showing that imagery can have an enormously powerful effect on our minds and bodies. In CFT, imagery and memories are used to help build both the soothing system and our compassionate minds. It’s worth noting that imagery and memories encompass not only visual images, but information from our other senses as well, such as sounds, smells, tastes and feelings.

A Memory Of Feeling Cared For is an exercise taken from the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection. Research has found that experiences of being cared for can have profound effects on the body and mind, and the same is true of imagining or remembering being cared for: we feel less stressed and our soothing systems are stimulated. In this exercise, the listener uses a memory of someone caring for them to help reactivate a sense of feeling cared for and supported.

The Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection is for anyone who wants to learn more about the ideas and practices of compassion focused therapy. It has been designed to be versatile, so it is suitable to support work with therapists who have been trained in compassion focused therapy, or to be used as a stand-alone collection of exercises. To assist the integration of the exercises into their clinical work, therapists can download the scripts for each exercise and use them in-session.

Individual tracks from the audio collection can be downloaded as .MP3 files, which can be played in most media player apps.

The simplest way to share an audio track with your clients is by using the Psychology Tools ‘Email a client’ function. After obtaining their consent, you can send it directly from this page by clicking ‘Send securely to my client’. Your client will receive a secure email containing

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• Gilbert, P. (2020). Compassion: From its evolution to a psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 3123.
• Irons, C., & Beaumont, E. (2017). The compassionate mind workbook: A step-by-step guide to developing your compassionate self. Robinson.
• Irons, C., & Heriot‐Maitland, C. (2021). Compassionate Mind Training: An 8‐week group for the general public. Psychology and psychotherapy: Theory, research and practice, 94(3), 443-463.
• Leboeuf, I., Andreotti, E., Irons, C., Beaumont, E., & Antoine, P. (2022). A randomized controlled study of a French compassionate mind training. Mindfulness, 13(11), 2891-2903.
• Savari, Y., Mohagheghi, H., & Petrocchi, N. (2021). A preliminary investigation on the effectiveness of compassionate mind training for students with major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Mindfulness, 12(5), 1159-1172.