Compassion: Conceptualisations, Research and Use in Psychotherapy

by Gilbert; Paul

• ISBN13: 9781583919828
• ISBN10: 1583919821
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-04-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

What is compassion, how does it affect the quality of our lives and how can we develop compassion for ourselves and others? Humans are capable of extreme cruelty but also considerable compassion. Often neglected in Western psychology, this book looks at how compassion may have evolved, and is linked to various capacities such as sympathy, empathy, forgiveness and warmth. Exploring the effects of early life experiences with families and peers, this book outlines how developing compassion for self and others can be key to helping people change, recover and develop ways of living that increase well-being. Focusing on the multi-dimensional nature of compassion, international contributors: * Explore integrative evolutionary, social constructivist, cognitive and Buddhist approaches to compassion. * Consider how and why cruelty can flourish when our capacities for compassion are turned off, especially in particular environments. * Focus on how therapists bring compassion into theirtherapeutic relationship, and examine its healing effects. * Describe how to help patients develop inner warmth and compassion to help alleviate psychological problems. Compassionprovides detailed outlines of interventions that are of particular value to psychotherapists and counsellors interested in developing compassion as a therapeutic focus in their work. It is also of value to social scientists interested in prosocial behaviour, and those seeking links between Buddhist and Western psychology.

Table of Contents

List of contributors	vii
Acknowledgements	xi
1 Introduction and outline	1	(6)
PAUL GILBERT
PART I Conceptualisations and research	7	(186)
2 Compassion and cruelty: A biopsychosocial approach	9	(66)
PAUL GILBERT
3 A conceptual framework for integrating research related to the physiology of compassion and the wisdom of Buddhist teachings	75	(46)
SHEILA WANG
4 An attachment-theoretical approach to compassion and altruism	121	(27)
OMRI GILLATH, PHILLIP R. SHAVER AND MARIO MIKULINCER
5 The psychology of compassion and prosocial behaviour	148	(20)
HANS-WERNER BIERHOFF
6 Compassion and forgiveness: Implications for psychotherapy	168	(27)
EVERETT L. WORTHINGTON, Jr, LYNN E. O'CONNOR, JACK W. BERRY, CONNIE SHARP, REBECCA MURRAY AND EUNICE YI
PART II Compassion and use in psychotherapy	193	(194)
7 A social-cognitive model of validation	195	(23)
ROBERT L. LEAHY
8 The Buddhist use of compassionate imagery in mind healing	218	(21)
RINGU TULKU RINPOCHE AND KENNETH MULLEN
9 Mindfulness, compassion for self, and compassion for others: Implications for understanding the psychopathology and treatment of depression	239	(24)
NICHOLAS B. ALLEN AND WENDY E.J. KNIGHT
10 Focused therapies and compassionate mind training for shame and self-attacking	263	(63)
PAUL GILBERT AND CHRIS IRONS
11 The perfect nurturer: A model to develop a compassionate mind within the context of cognitive therapy	326	(26)
DEBORAH A. LEE
12 Compassionate imagery in the treatment of early memories in Axis I anxiety disorders	352	(17)
ANN HACKMANN
13 The expression of compassion in group cognitive therapy	369	(18)
TONY BATES
Index	387