Transition Needs Compassion: a Thematic Analysis of an Online Compassion-Focused Therapy Group in a Gender Service

OBJECTIVES: Transgender and gender non-conforming people may face elevated rates of shame and self-criticism in light of minority stress. Compassion-focused therapy has a growing evidence base in addressing trans-diagnostic processes in mental health difficulties, including shame and self-criticism. The objective of the present study was to explore the experience of an initial pilot compassion-focused therapy group delivered online in a Gender Service during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Six transgender people completed a semi-structured interview after attending an 8-week compassion-focused therapy group in a national Gender Service. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes in the data. RESULTS: Four themes were identified from the data: Transition Needs Compassion; Acceptability of the Compassion-Focused Approach; Being in a group with other transgender people; and Online delivery works despite its challenges. Participants reported that the compassion-focused framework was an appropriate and helpful way of understanding their experiences of stigma and that both the content and process of the group had benefitted them. Being with other transgender people raised some anxieties, such as comparisons or fear of offending, but also enabled seeing the self in more positive and accepting ways. While online delivery had some challenges, participants largely felt it was an effective mode of delivery, aided by the experiential nature of the group. CONCLUSIONS: Compassion-focused therapy seems to be a feasible and acceptable approach for transgender and gender non-conforming people. Group processes may be helpful in increasing self-acceptance. Further quantitative exploration of therapy process and outcomes is warranted.