🧡Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) | Free Course
Updated: Oct 19
Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Therapeutic Modalities
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🧡Welcome to the Free Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) Course for Everyday People
Compassion Focused Therapy was created by British clinical psychologist Paul Gilbert, who developed it through the 1990s and 2000s and founded the Compassionate Mind Foundation in 2006 to carry the work worldwide. It was born from a striking observation: people can build perfectly logical, balanced thoughts and still feel awful, especially people carrying deep shame and a harsh inner critic. Gilbert's answer wove together evolutionary psychology, attachment science, Buddhist mind training, and modern neuroscience into a therapy built on one central insight: compassion is not a mood you wait for, it is a skill you can train, and training it measurably changes how a mind treats itself. Today CFT is practiced across the world, backed by a steadily growing research base.
This course teaches pure CFT, with no other modalities blended in. It's written in plain, emotionally relatable language anyone can follow, whether you work in the field or have never set foot in a therapy room. It isn't clinical training for therapists; it's CFT you can put to use in your own life. Each module offers clear teaching, real-life examples, and the practical tools, techniques, and strategies CFT is known for, and every lesson ends with a simple practice so you can begin using the skill right away.
This course is self-paced, with no tests, exams, or homework. Feel free to go through it in order, or jump around to whatever interests you most.
Course outline
Click any module below to begin.
The Basics
How Compassion Works
The Core Practices
Shame and Self-Criticism
Putting Compassion into Action
Living It
Bonus
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Who Writes Our Courses
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These courses are not someone typing a single prompt and publishing whatever comes out.
We do not use a free or entry-level AI. We invest in one of the most advanced professional-tier AI models available, because the depth and accuracy of writing at this level is in a different league from what most people experience with low-cost AI.
While AI models arrive with extensive training across these topics, we never rely on that alone. Before drafting a single lesson, the AI performs in-depth research on that specific topic, pulling from resources written by qualified experts in the field: published books, professional essays, clinical resources, and articles from practitioners and specialists with relevant credentials. Every draft is grounded in that expert-created material, not generated from thin air.
With that said, whether something is written entirely by humans, entirely by AI, or by the two working together, errors can occur. We encourage readers to verify important information and consult a qualified professional in the relevant area wherever appropriate.
For those who would like more specifics, here is the six-step process behind every course:
1. Humans design the courses and set the teaching standards and outlines
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6. Each finished course then goes to Eleven Labs, where it's recorded by one of their AI voices
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We Hope You Enjoyed The Course
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Disclaimer:
Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. While we strive for accuracy, errors can occur, and users are encouraged to cross-reference critical information. These courses, lessons, skills, and practices are offered for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.
Crisis Support: 🚨
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.
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