cft Therapy
Compassion Focused Therapy
Compassion Focused Therapy, often referred to as CFT, is an evidence-based psychological therapy. It was designed to help people who struggle with high levels of self-criticism, shame, guilt and self-blame. It is based on evolutionary psychology, attachment theory and emotion regulation theory.
Many people notice they have a harsh internal voice that judges them strongly or leaves them feeling “not good enough”. This way of relating to ourselves can trigger our fight or flight response. In addition, over time this can contribute to patterns of anxiety, low mood, low self-esteem and depression.
I provide online Compassion Focused Therapy sessions. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation for you to ask me any questions, discuss your needs and help us decide if I might be an appropriate therapist for you to book an assessment with.
I have known Romina for 20 years and would have no hesitation in recommending her as a private therapist. In her NHS work I found her competent and skilled with good common sense.
She consistently demonstrated kindness, compassion and humour.
She is trustworthy and hard-working, and genuinely motivated to help people and deliver effective therapy.
Adrian Sellers
I have known Romina for many years, observing her work within the mental health team in the NHS. I have always been deeply moved by her natural ability in identifying the psychological causes for people's suffering, and her warmth and down to earth approach in supporting those people to look at those causes. I have recommended many people to her private practice, knowing that they will all have the benefit of her profound experience.
Carey Sumpter
Romina is an exceptionally skilled and compassionate therapist whose experience really shows in her work. She brings warmth, professionalism, and integrity to everything she does, and creates a safe, thoughtful therapeutic space. Her dedication and genuine care are clear, and she consistently works to a very high standard. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending her to anyone looking for high-quality psychological therapy.
Charlotte U
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) was originally developed by Clinical Psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1987 for PTSD, and is now recognised as an effective therapy for a wide range of difficulties linked to traumatic or distressing experiences.
People often come to EMDR because they’re experiencing:
-
intrusive memories, flashbacks or distressing images
-
anxiety, panic, phobias or health anxiety
-
low mood or feeling overwhelmed
-
low self-esteem, shame and self-criticism
-
OCD and intrusive thoughts (including when EMDR is part of a broader plan)
-
grief and loss
-
the impact of bullying, emotional neglect, or difficult early experiences
HOW EMDR WORKS
I often explain this using the idea of two memory “filing cabinets”.
In everyday life, your brain processes experiences and files them away so they feel like the past. But when something is traumatic or overwhelming, the brain can switch into a survival response (fight/flight/freeze). When that happens, the experience may not get processed in the usual way. It can remain “stuck”, and then get triggered in the present by reminders—through emotions, body sensations, thoughts, and images.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (often eye movements or tapping) to help restart the brain’s natural processing system, so the memory can be “date stamped” and stored in a way that feels more distant, like a faded photo rather than something happening right now. You won’t forget what happened, but it can feel less intense and less intrusive, so you have more choice and freedom.
WHAT TO EXPECT
1) Assessment and understanding what’s going on
We build a shared picture of what you’re struggling with, what may have contributed to it, and what is keeping it going now.
2) Preparation and stabilisation (skills first)
Before any reprocessing, I help you develop coping strategies so you feel ready and able to stay grounded. This part matters. It helps EMDR feel safer, more contained, and manageable.
3) Reprocessing at your pace
When you feel ready, we work through specific memories in a planned way. I’ll guide the process, and we’ll keep it within your “window of tolerance” so you can leave sessions feeling able to return to daily life.
4) Review and moving forward
As things settle, we focus on strengthening new learning, building confidence, and supporting you to maintain progress.
What Can Compassion Focused Therapy Help With?
Compassion Focused Therapy can be helpful for a range of mental health difficulties where shame or self-criticism play an important role. People often seek CFT when they feel exhausted by the constant pressure they place on themselves or when they struggle with feeling “not good enough”.
CFT may help with difficulties such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, shame, perfectionism and self-criticism. It can also be helpful for people who have experienced trauma, emotional neglect or difficult early relationships.
How Compassion Focused Therapy Works
Compassion Focused Therapy helps you understand how your emotional systems work and why certain patterns develop. It explains that we have three main emotional systems: the threat system, the drive system and the soothing system.
The threat system is designed to protect us from danger and activates our fight, flight or freeze response. When this system becomes overactive it can lead to anxiety, shame or self-criticism.
The soothing system helps us feel safe, calm and connected. Many people who struggle with self-criticism have a less developed soothing system. CFT focuses on strengthening this system so that feelings of calm, safety and compassion become more accessible.
Online Compassion Focused Therapy Across the UK
I offer Compassion Focused Therapy sessions online to adults across the UK using secure video sessions via Zoom.
Many people find online therapy works just as effectively as face-to-face sessions and allows them to access support from the comfort of home. I work with people experiencing a range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, trauma, shame, low self-esteem and the impact of difficult early experiences.
CLIENT FEEDBACK
My therapy sessions with Romina have been incredible. I instantly felt at ease during my first session. Romina created a very safe space to open up in. She has provided me with solid techniques that I will continue to use in life.
I will be forever grateful for the help and support Romina gave me during our sessions and cannot recommend her enough. Thanks so much once again.
I would be happy for you to use and share my positive feedback, as I cannot advocate your services enough.
Your kind and caring approach, coupled with your excellent explanations and all the back up information (YouTube videos, Ted talks; Podcast suggestions) meant that my therapy experience was practical and understandable and all encompassing.
I particularly benefitted from your explanations of why thoughts get ‘stuck’, and how processing them adequately allows them to be filed away appropriately.
Thank you again for all your help, and for aiding me to also help myself and to end my time with you in a far better place than the one I started in.
I am moving forward with positivity and calmness, and a greater respect and compassion for my current self and my past self.
From start to finish Romina has been fantastic and quite honestly life changing for me. We started with CBT and some EDMR, I was scared at first, but as soon as we began, I realised there was nothing to be worried about. I was able to be completely honest, vulnerable and always felt safe within our sessions. I've learnt so much, not only about myself, but how to help anxiety and cope with other things throughout the rest of my life. From our very first session, I already was seeing positive changes in myself, I really couldn't believe it. My only regret would be not picking up the phone sooner and making my first appointment.
I cannot recommend Romina highly enough. In my time working with her, I have achieved more self growth than I ever could have imagined. Romina always provided me a safe and trusting relationship, sound advice, and excellent tools and skills which both supported and pushed me.
While I'm sure I'm not completely cured, I have learnt from Romina that healing is not a constant. And in leaving her, Romina has ensured that I can feel more than capable than ever to take on whatever life throws at me next. I am very sad to leave her, but her help will last with me my entire life time. And I'm certain she'll go on now to benefit someone else in the same way.
My therapy with Romina has changed my life. I am no longer anxious, which feels amazing. I have been anxious all my life and never thought I would be free from the holds of anxiety.
Romina teaches you to be your own therapist, which gives you confidence and freedom. Romina is very understanding and caring, allowing you to open up. Romina always ensured that you were happy with the session and the plan.
I had both cognitive behavioural therapy and eye movement desensitisation therapy which were brilliant. I really recommend Romina as a therapist.
During the period of lockdown I suffered terribly with OCD and a number of issues surrounding it. Since then, I recently made contact with Romina who provided me with structured and sensitive therapy delivered in a relaxed and humanistic way. She was able to furnish me with a new set of tools which would allow me to rationalise what was happening to me, whilst at the same time take events, feelings, and emotions, and pick them apart in a logical and positive manner.
My therapy with Romina has undoubtedly changed my life for the better and I am beginning to thrive, not just survive.
Working with Romina was a priceless experience for me. We firstly dealt with my depression and different ways I could process my emotions and different triggering situations. We focused on systems to help me better navigate my life along with mindfulness practices which help to keep me centred and greatly reduce my anxiety levels.
During the process we discovered that actually a lot of the confusion and frustration in life stems from me having ADHD which I had never considered. I have now been diagnosed and understanding the ADHD way of thinking makes it feel much more comfortable to be ME.
I would highly recommend Romina's services.
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is a psychological therapy designed to help people who experience high levels of self-criticism, shame or guilt. It focuses on developing self-compassion and strengthening the brain’s soothing system so emotional distress becomes easier to manage.
It helps you understand why these patterns develop. Rather than seeing them as personal weaknesses, the therapy explains them as understandable responses shaped by how our brains evolved, our early experiences and our environment. Understanding this can help people begin to develop a kinder and more balanced relationship with themselves.
Compassion Focused Therapy is a collaborative process where we work together to understand what may be contributing to your current difficulties.
We begin by developing a shared understanding of the patterns that may be keeping you stuck. From there we work on building skills that support compassion towards yourself and others.
This may include mindfulness practices, compassion-focused exercises and learning how to respond differently to self-critical thoughts. Over time these skills can help you feel calmer, more stable and better able to manage emotional distress.
CBT focuses on understanding the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. CFT uses a lot of CBT techniques, but in addition, it places more emphasis on developing compassion towards yourself, which can be particularly helpful for people who struggle with shame or self-criticism.
Compassion Focused Therapy can be used on its own or alongside other approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or EMDR therapy.
For many people, combining therapies can be particularly helpful. For example, EMDR therapy may help process trauma and distressing memories, while CFT helps develop the compassionate mindset needed to support long-term emotional wellbeing.
We can discuss together which approach may be the most helpful for your situation.This varies depending on your needs and goals. Many people attend therapy for between 12 and 20 sessions, although this can vary. After an initial assessment we can discuss an approach and review progress together.
Yes. CFT can be particularly helpful for people whose difficulties are linked to trauma or difficult early experiences. Developing self-compassion can help create a safer emotional foundation for therapeutic work and can support change in unhelpful beliefs we might have about ourselves related to past experiences.
Sessions take place online via Zoom, allowing you to access therapy from anywhere in the UK while remaining in a comfortable and private environment.
