SOOTHE Group

Supporting Ourselves and Others Through Healing and Empowerment

Week 2.1
Estimated time to complete 2.1: 15-20 mins

The six core principles of Compassion-Focused Therapy

Hover and click on each circle to learn more about each of the core principles

Our evolved 'Tricky Brain'

As human beings, we have evolved to fit in with certain societal standards. In doing so, our brains have also evolved and become quite ‘tricky’ due to many factors in our lives that we didn’t choose or have control over - we did not choose our genes.

Imagine if one of your favourite school teachers had been a famous musician instead of becoming a teacher. Do you think they would still be the same person they are today? Would they have developed different interests, relationships, or ways of seeing the world? Who do you think they might have become instead?

Imagine being raised by your neighbour. Would you have become the same version of you?

Or, have you ever been on an overseas trip and visited a different culture? What would your life be like if you were born there and lived there?

Because of these different factors that we might not choose in our life, our evolved tricky brain can sometimes make it really hard to cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life. This is not our fault.

There are so many different versions of ourself that we will never get the chance to live or may never want to live. In your daily life, think about the different versions of yourself (e.g., working self, parent self, son/daughter self, partner self). We can use this to train our minds to work in new ways. We can cultivate new versions and patterns in our lives - one of these is the compassionate self.

00:00 / 01:52

Take a look at The Tricky Brain handout to further explain some of the concepts explored here.

2.1 is finished!

Take a break if you need before beginning 2.2.

Go back

2.2

SOOTHE Group

Week 2.1 Estimated time to complete 2.1: 15-20 mins The six core principles of Compassion-Focused Therapy

Hover and click on each circle to learn more about each of the core principles

Our evolved 'Tricky Brain​'​

As human beings, we have evolved to fit in with certain societal standards. In doing so, our brains have also evolved and become quite ‘tricky’ due to many factors in our lives that we didn’t choose or have control over - we did not choose our genes. ​

​​Because of these different factors that we might not choose in our life, our evolved tricky brain can sometimes make it really hard to cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life. This is not our fault.

​Take a look at The Tricky Brain handout to further explain some of the concepts explored here.