1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on An Introduction to Compassion Focused Therapy is presented by Yotam Heineberg, PsyD.

It is well-known that shame and self-criticism can be difficult problems to treat in a range of psychological problems and may even prevent people from seeking help. Compassion Focused Therapy was developed by Professor Paul Gilbert. CFT was specifically developed with and for individuals with these difficulties, in part by helping them develop a compassionate orientation toward themselves and others by elaborating on cognitive-behavioral strategies. CFT is an evolutionary and neuroscience-based approach to psychotherapy that articulates how the evolution of attachment and affiliative emotion regulates threat processing and the emergence of our self-identities. CFT integrates evidence-based therapies with the basic insight that our emotions serve an evolutionary function and that recognizing this can help de-shame and de-pathologize painful symptomatic experiences towards greater engagement in therapy. CFT has growing empirical evidence to support its efficacy in a broad range of complex cases, including trauma and rigid personality structures. The program covers the basic concepts of CFT with PowerPoint presentations and describes experiential practices with the use of emotion-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and imagery practices.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe perspectives from the evolutionary model that underpins CFT towards psychoeducation, by offering clients insight into the three types of affect regulation systems (threat, drive, and soothing)
  • 2 Describe insight into the complexities and conflicts within the threat system processing
  • 3 Describe the Fears of Compassion scale, and framework towards assessment, psychoeducational, experiential, and behavioral treatment goals

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals who work with clients experiencing trauma, personality disorders, or challenges with emotional regulation. It is suitable for those specializing in psychotherapy, counseling, or clinical psychology, as well as healthcare and support professionals seeking to deepen their understanding and skills in these areas.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychotherapist
    • Counselor
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Healthcare Professional
    • Support Professional

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at the beginner level who are new to Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) or seeking foundational knowledge.

    • Beginner: Participants have limited or no prior experience with CFT, are unfamiliar with its evolutionary and neuroscience-based framework, and are interested in learning basic concepts, psychoeducation strategies, and introductory experiential, cognitive-behavioral, and imagery practices for addressing shame and self-criticism.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health professionals who participate in this training typically practice in environments dedicated to supporting individuals with complex emotional and psychological needs. These settings are designed to provide a safe, confidential, and therapeutic atmosphere where clients can explore trauma, personality disorders, and emotional regulation challenges. Practitioners may work individually or as part of multidisciplinary teams, often collaborating with other healthcare and support professionals to deliver comprehensive care.

    Examples of practice settings:

    • Outpatient mental health clinics
    • Private psychotherapy or counseling practices
    • Hospital behavioral health units
    • Community mental health centers
    • University counseling centers
    • Residential treatment facilities
    • Integrated primary care settings
    • Nonprofit organizations providing mental health support
    • Crisis intervention centers
    • Telehealth or virtual therapy platforms

Presented By

Yotam Heineberg, PsyD, Faculty at Palo Alto University

Yotam Heineberg, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist and a clinical faculty member at Palo Alto university’s Gronowski Center, where he offers supervision, clinical and didactic psychotherapy training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and other compassion focused approaches to healing and growth. Dr. Heineberg is also a Research Fellow at Stanford University with the Center for Compassion and Altruism, Research and Education (CCARE).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Yotam Heineberg, PsyD

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.