Coaching practices for Self Compassion Focus
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Self Compassion Focus, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- When the scared or self-loathing part of me shows up, my reflex is to shove it away or pile more judgment on it, which only makes it worse
- After I mess up I’m stuck choosing between tearing into myself or letting myself off the hook entirely
- Whatever I’m feeling, I pile on top of it
- When I mess up, the voice inside goes straight to “you’re worthless”
- A hard moment just hit and I can feel the spiral starting
Practices that may help
- Cultivate Self through directed inner compassion
Practice sending compassion inward — toward the parts that are suffering — to build the Self-energy those parts need.
IFS Self Energy, Made Practical - Self-compassion through the distancing lens
Combine third-person perspective with self-compassionate framing to avoid both self-attack and self-indulgence.
Self-Distancing Journaling - Compassion-Focused Therapy: Calming the Inner Critic
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), developed by Paul Gilbert, targets shame and self-criticism by training a compassionate inner voice to replace the punitive self-critic. It draws on evolutionary psychology and affective neuroscience — specifically, the finding that different emotional systems (threat, drive, soothing) have distinct neurobiological profiles. A growing body of RCT evidence supports CFT for shame-based difficulties, self-criticism, and depression, though the evidence base is smaller than for CBT. - Self-Compassion, Made Practical
Kristin Neff defines self-compassion as treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a struggling friend, built from three parts: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Unlike self-esteem, it does not depend on success or comparison — and it has a genuinely strong research base, with controlled trials linking it to lower anxiety, depression, and self-criticism. - N — Nurture with self-compassion
Offer the part that is suffering what it most needs — care, acknowledgment, reassurance — as you would a dear friend.
RAIN Meditation: Tara Brach’s Four-Step Practice - Apply self-compassion directly to shame
Shame says "I am bad"; self-compassion says "I am human, and this is hard" — these are not the same claim, and one of them is accurate.
Shame Resilience, Made Practical - The self-compassion break
A three-step phrase you say in a hard moment: this is suffering, suffering is human, may I be kind to myself.
Self-Compassion, Made Practical - Mindful awareness of suffering
Hold painful feelings in balanced awareness — neither suppressing them nor being swept away by them.
Self-Compassion, Made Practical - Developing the Compassionate Self Voice
Build an inner voice that responds to your suffering with wisdom, warmth, and commitment to wellbeing.
Compassion-Focused Therapy: Calming the Inner Critic - Loving-kindness toward yourself
Begin by directing the well-wishes inward — “may I be safe, happy, healthy, at ease.”
Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation
Related concerns
- Self Compassion Focusing
Practice sending compassion inward — toward the parts that are suffering — to build the Self-energy those parts need.
Cultivate Self through directed inner compassion
- Self Compassion Ifs
Practice sending compassion inward — toward the parts that are suffering — to build the Self-energy those parts need.
- Self Compassion Training
Practice sending compassion inward — toward the parts that are suffering — to build the Self-energy those parts need.
- Embodied Self Compassion
Practice sending compassion inward — toward the parts that are suffering — to build the Self-energy those parts need.
- Self Compassion After Meditation
End each sitting by radiating goodwill outward, softening any self-critical edge the practice surfaces.
Metta at the close — sharing merit and goodwill
- Self Compassion Cbt
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), developed by Paul Gilbert, targets shame and self-criticism by training a compassionate inner voice to replace the punitive self-critic. It draws on evolutionary psychology and affective neuroscience — specifically, the finding that different emotional systems (threat, drive, soothing) have distinct neurobiological profiles. A growing body of RCT evidence supports CFT for shame-based difficulties, self-criticism, and depression, though the evidence base is smaller than for CBT.
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