Compassion-Focused Therapy for the Treatment of ICD-11–Defined Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The most effective treatments for ICD-11–defined complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) remain unknown. Further research is needed to determine whether such treatments for CPTSD are the same as or different from—or require integration with—existing gold standard treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals with CPTSD experience the hallmark symptoms of PTSD (i.e., reexperiencing symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and the pervasive sense of perceived threat) and pervasive disturbances in self-organization, including affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is a transdiagnostic approach that was originally developed to treat shame and self-criticism. CFT helps individuals learn how to regulate their emotions, shift their emotional response style from shaming and self-critical to wise and understanding, and engage in more compassionate and rewarding patterns of relating to self and others. This article describes CFT’s possible application in the treatment of CPTSD and delineates areas for future research.