ABSTRACT
This chapter offers an overview of using compassion focused therapy for complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). It explores an evolution-informed social mentality theory approach to understanding the emergent threat-focused symptoms and protective strategies associated with traumatic experiences. It then outlines therapeutic considerations when using compassion focused therapy to work with this client group and offers a framework of intervention which takes into account five key therapeutic processes that target the symptom cluster associated with CPTSD.
