Defining compassion: A Delphi study of compassion therapists’ experiences when introducing patients to the term ‘compassion’

OBJECTIVES: Compassion‐focused therapy (CFT) is shown to be an effective psychological intervention; however, patients can experience resistance to CFT due to preconceptions regarding the term ‘compassion’. This study aims to obtain guidance from therapists in how to overcome these resistances DESIGN: This is the first study using the Delphi methodology to ask CFT therapists about how their patients understanding of the term compassion might act as a barrier to engaging with an otherwise beneficial therapy. METHODS: Two rounds of interview questions were posed to 15 expert CFT therapists. RESULTS: The results provide verification that there is resistance to CFT due to preconceptions around ‘compassion’, specifically its association with ‘pity’, ‘weakness’ and low‐rank social positions. Further, this appears to be pronounced in patients who value competitiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The results have practical implications such as the need for therapists to acknowledge the potential for resistance and the need for experiential strategies and illustrative examples of compassion to facilitate successful engagement with CFT.