HLL07 BioMedical Yoga Therapy – Compassion Focused Therapy (Online)

Online Registered 20 hour Higher Level Learning (HLL) Certificate

“Every moment presents us with an opportunity to bring compassion into our lives and give it to others. Every time we think a compassionate thought, direct kindness towards another person, relate warmly to ourselves and others, or bring to mind something that inspires our compassionate nature, we plant and nurture the seeds in our minds that will eventually grow into a garden of kindness and compassion.”

— Kolts & Chodron, 2013

Join us to explore the most effective and well-regarded researched ways to bring compassion into heart and mind. We will be looking at all forms of compassionate practice through yoga asana, mental training, compassion at the mirror, contemplative dyads, and compassionate listening, to name a few.

Compassionate Mind and Body Training

Compassionate mind training encourages you to be more compassionate to yourself, others, and the world at large. Compassion has been shown through scientific studies to change the brain and bodily functions in various ways that we will explore together in this retreat.

A study conducted under the watchful eye of the Dalai Lama and a Neuroscientist – Richard Davidson, set out to prove compassion meditation’s effect on health and the body in general. In this 1992 study, they looked into the brain function of eight Buddhist monks who had been practising this meditation for years. The results were astounding, with Davidson and others finding that mindfulness meditation impacted the brain, immune system, endocrine system, stress, and human responses to suffering (Davidson et al., 2003; A. Lutz et al., 2008b; Weng et al., 2013). Compassion meditation has helped improve the brain and affects the body’s inflammatory system, helping to reduce inflammation significantly in individuals who practised on a very regular basis (Kaliman et al., 2014). Compassion and mindfulness have a profound impact on the body. In the following few sections, we will explore the effects compassion and meditation have on the various bodily systems.

Compassionate Breathing

Compassion Focussed Therapy uses breathing techniques to assist someone to move from the flight or fight response into a state of relaxation, whereby they can begin to practice compassion. The breathing ratio taught by Paul Gilbert in Compassion Focussed Therapy emphasises 50 per cent on the inhale and 50 per cent on the exhale (5:5) to induce parasympathetic nervous system activity via vagal nerve stimulation. These mechanisms lead to a multiplier effect that relaxes the body and mind, leading to deeper states of empathy and compassion. Compassion creates happiness, and happiness helps to reduce stress and brings on more space for joy and overall contentment.

The Neurobiology Behind Compassion-Based Practices

The effects of compassion and meditation on the mind are notable. The most prolific and commonly observed change in the brain after practising compassion-based meditation is empathy. During the act of meditation, brain scans have shown peak activation in the anterior insula (AI) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which both are areas related to having empathy towards others’ suffering (A. Lutz et al., 2008b). Other areas such as the right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ), which deal with emotion sharing and perspective-taking, have also been shown to increase in activation (A. Lutz et al., 2008b). Another study found increased activation of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), crucial for empathic accuracy (Weng et al., 2013). In addition to this, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation increases, suggesting compassion meditators have an easier time empathising with those they may feel more dissimilar towards.

Not only this, but compassionate reappraisal towards a criminal offender has shown to increase perceived control, decreased anger, anxiety, and depression while increasing joy, happiness and the capacity to forgive (vanOyen Witvliet et al., 2011). Compassion meditation has a profound change on our minds ability to generate empathy.

The recordings included in this training will help you bring compassion focussed therapy into yoga therapy practice – one to one with the individual – through the practice of mindfulness and compassion-based interventions. It will clearly define the evidence and literature around compassion and what compassion is not. The definition of compassion is outlined below by Professor Paul Gilbert (2014), the founder of compassion-focused therapy:

“The sensitivity to suffering in self and others, with a commitment to try and alleviate and prevent it”

The model of the multi-directional flow of compassion, as described by Professor Paul Gilbert, will be explored:

  1. Compassion we offer to others
  2. Compassion we receive from others
  3. Compassion we offer to ourselves (self-compassion) Source

In addition, you will explore the science and research behind self-compassion and the three tenets that make us more self-compassionate (research by Kristin Neff on Self-Compassion).

  • Compassion Focussed Therapy applied to Yoga Therapy Practice and Meditation Therapy practice
  • Five common elements of compassion (Strauss et al. 2016)
  • Flows of Compassion
  • Self Compassion and the tenets of practice
  • Science of Self Compassion
  • Mindful Self Compassion key meditation and imagery exercises (Kristin Neff) and (Christopher Germer)
    • Affectionate breathing
    • Compassionate body scan
    • Loving-kindness meditation
    • Self-compassion break
    • Compassionate letter writing

Be enthralled by all the latest research in compassion-focused therapy with Dr James Kirby of the compassion research group at the University of Queensland.

The recording of the session will teach you how to apply the core compassion-based skills and qualities in private therapy sessions. Participants in the training will encounter ways to develop core compassion-based skills and qualities, help clients overcome the fears, blocks, and resistances to compassion, understand the connection between diminished self-compassion and avoidance behaviours. It will be discussed how we can use compassion-focused therapy to provide support to reduce the symptoms of trauma, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress across a range of issues and conditions (Kirby, Tellegan & Steindl, 2017).

Practitioners are encouraged to attune to and acknowledge the suffering of others with a commitment to try and prevent or alleviate it.

Compassion-focused therapy aims to cultivate several key competencies (with explanations summarised from Kolts, 2016), with all competencies developed within the context of three key compassionate qualities – WARMTH, STRENGTH, AND COMMITMENT.

  • Sensitivity – Awareness of pain, suffering, struggle, and difficulty
  • Non-judgement – Relating to one’s experience with acceptance and without judgement
  • Empathy – Making efforts to understand suffering as it exists from the perspective of the being that suffers
  • Sympathy – A warmth, softening, or feeling moved by pain and suffering
  • Care for well-being – A sincere motivation to prevent and alleviate suffering
  • Distress tolerance – Ability to tolerate the discomfort that arises from working directly and actively with suffering (summarised from Kolts, 2016)
Fears, blocks, and resistances to compassion

It is also crucial that any practitioner aiming to cultivate compassion understand the well-researched fears, blocks, and resistances (FBRs) that may be present. Supporting patients, students, or clients to overcome these is principal to a compassion-focused therapist’s work. The cultivation of compassion will not evolve if patients, students, or clients remain frightened of it. Hence, we shall explore the many reasons why patients, students, or clients may be hesitant to cultivate compassion.

Together, let us explore these ancient, now evidenced-based methods for healing both mind and body.

  • Core compassion-based skills and qualities
  • Tenets of self-compassion
  • Fears, blocks, and resistances to the cultivation of compassion
  • Avoidance behaviours
  • Trauma symptoms
  • Cultivation of compassion
  • CFT meditation and imagery exercises
    • Soothing rhythm breathing
    • Compassionate self-imagery
    • Compassionate other imagery
    • Safe place (place of peace/contentment) imagery

Please note that not all face to face content is included in online course training due to copyright issues. You will receive many classes and recordings in your online training, but occasionally the face to face sessions will not be directly matched.

Course Code:

HLL07

Qualification:

Registered 20-hour Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Course

Availability:

This course is available to be taken online at any time.

What You Will Learn

  • Yoga posturing, compassionate posturing
  • Compassionate mind training and neuroplasticity
  • Compassion Focussed Therapy and its bioplastic effects on our overall health and well being
  • Biopsychosocial model of health
  • Compassionate Inquiry as a therapeutic modality
  • The science of compassion
  • Compassion Focussed Therapy applied to Yoga Therapy Practice and Meditation Therapy practice
  • Definition of Compassion – what it is and what it is not
  • Five common elements of compassion (Strauss et. al 2016)
  • Flows of Compassion
  • Core compassion-based skills and qualities
  • Tenets of self-compassion
  • Fears, blocks and resistances to cultivation of compassion
  • Avoidance behaviours
  • Trauma symptoms
  • CFT meditation and imagery exercises

BIYOME’s Higher Level Learning can be undertaken as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with Yoga Australia and may obtain Continuing Education (CE) recognition with Yoga Alliance. The course contact hours, non-contact hours (CPD’s and CE’s), allocated across the two registering yoga bodies do however differ. Please contact us for more information.

Should you wish to complete a full  yoga certification (150 hours – 650 hours) please see details available here.

Further Information & Requirements

This weekend is a registered 20 hour Yoga Australia and Yoga Alliance training weekend and attracts CPD points for yoga teachers, therapists, allied health professionals.

Interested members of the public who are engaged in the practices of yoga and meditation may attend for interest, education and higher-level learning

This course is intended to provide you will a knowledge base in yoga therapy.  We use the term “therapy” as a reference to varied methodologies that enable well-being.  As such, these short courses do not qualify you to become a yoga teacher or therapist. By registering and attending this course you agree to our terms and conditions and our waiver as located here. For more information on how to become fully qualified, please check our yoga teacher training and yoga therapy training for more details.

Your Investment

Full investment upfront $328

Access is not offered without complete payment

Continue Your Higher Level Learning Online!

We welcome you to join four conversant yogic teachers and therapists as they share their adept practice wisdom with you and bring you a weekend dedicated to improving your mental health through the body and the breath.

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