ABSTRACT
As noted above CFT rests on a very clear evolutionary and neuroscience model that is shared with the client. It seeks to de-pathologize and de-shame by being explicit that we have problems because of basic brain design, historical, current contextual and social dif®culties. Helping people gain a deeper understanding of why their problems are ``not their fault'' in a blaming and shaming sense, while at the same time recognizing the importance of ``taking responsibility'', is key to CFT. We have also spent time looking at the compassion circles and in particular the importance of compassionate attention, compassionate thinking, compassionate behaviour and being motivated to approach dif®culties and our sense of self, compassionately. Imagery is contextualized within this overall framework. I do become worried when I hear therapists just trying ``a bit of compassionate imagery'' and ®nding that it does not work so well (see Point 29).
