The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life's Challenges
Also known as The Compassionate Mind, The Compassionate Mind (2010), The Compassionate Mind (2009)
Paul Gilbert's popular book on compassion as a way to calm an evolved threat system
At a glance
What it argues
Doing, achieving, having, A threat-sensitive brain, Compassion soothes
See all 3Key ideas
Three emotion systems, Soothing like a parent, More than relief …
See all 4Criticism and limits
Small studies, Larger trials still needed
See all 2Read next
Introducing compassion-focused therapy, Compassion-focused therapy, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
See all 3Connections
Paul Gilbert, Compassion-focused therapy and 2 others
See all 4
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- Paul Gilbert's book for general readers on compassion for oneself and others.
- Our evolved minds react fast to perceived threats, a source of anxiety, depression and aggression.
- Kindness and compassion can calm this threat system, as a parent's care soothes a distressed baby.
- Compassion also builds contentment and well-being, not only relief.
- The book teaches basic compassionate mind training exercises.
Why it matters
- For anyone ruled by a harsh inner critic, and the best plain-language way into compassion-focused therapy for a therapy learner.
Key facts
- Author
- Paul Gilbert1
- Published
- 2009 (UK, Constable & Robinson)2
- US edition
- New Harbinger Publications, Oakland CA, 2010, ISBN 97815722484033
- UK paperback
- Little, Brown (Constable), on sale 6 June 2013, ISBN 97818490109861
- Audience
- General readers; a self-help book1
- Place in the field
- The source of the compassionate mind training model in Gilbert's 2009 paper introducing compassion-focused therapy2
What it argues
-
Doing, achieving, having1
Modern societies focus on doing, achieving and having, and dismiss what modern living does to our minds.
-
A threat-sensitive brain1
Our minds evolved to be highly sensitive and quick to react to perceived threats.
-
Compassion soothes1
Kindness and compassion for self and others can calm the threat system.
Key ideas
-
Three emotion systems2
Gilbert's model distinguishes threat and protection, drive and resource-seeking, and soothing and safeness systems.
-
Soothing like a parent1
As a mother's care soothes a baby's distress, we can learn to soothe ourselves.
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More than relief1
Compassion increases contentment and well-being, not only calming distress.
-
Attributes and skills2
The book's compassionate mind training diagram pairs attributes of compassion with skills trained to develop them.
Criticism and limits
Read next
-
Introducing compassion-focused therapy
Gilbert's short clinical account of the same model, free to read.
-
The therapy page: the three systems, examples and the evidence.
-
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
Kristin Neff's parallel, research-led take on self-compassion.
Connections
Links
Sources
- The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert (Hachette UK) (opens littlebrown.co.uk)
- Gilbert P. Introducing compassion-focused therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 2009;15(3):199-208 (Cambridge Core) (opens cambridge.org)
- Paul Gilbert (psychologist) (Wikipedia) (opens en.wikipedia.org)
- Compassion-focused therapy (Wikipedia) (opens en.wikipedia.org)
- The Compassionate Mind, Paul Gilbert (Open Library search) (opens openlibrary.org)
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