Compassionate Mind Training Group Program: Facilitator Training

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by Helen Correia and Mel Zimmerman

For those of you looking for training in delivering a structured compassion-based group program, then one option may be the facilitator training for Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). CMT is based on Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), developed and evaluated by Chris Irons and Charlie Herriot-Maitland. It is designed as an 8 week/8 session program for the general public and has also been used with health and social care workers, parents, and clinical groups with mental health conditions. If you are familiar with CFT, then you will notice the key concepts, such as flows of compassion, compassionate mind imagery, and addressing fears of compassion, structured in an easily accessible weekly format. We were eager to participate in the CMT facilitator training to support us in offering a structured program to our local communities, including health professionals.

The CMT facilitator training is in depth and engages in personal practice and supervision. The training we participated in was in four parts:

  • Part 1: Personal practice as a participant in the 8 week CMT program (live or online)

  • Part 2: Introduction to CFT workshop

  • Part 3: Training in the 8-week protocol

  • Part 4: Supervision


The training components are accessible online. Part 1 involves completing the 8 week CMT program as a participant, which for us was an online self-paced version delivered by Chris and Charlie through the Balanced Minds website. This was a really important reminder of the value of personal practice – a space for us each to continue to develop our compassionate selves, a chance to experience the participant perspective, as well as an opportunity to see different ways of engaging in compassionate work.

Part 2 requires completing an Introduction to CFT workshop, to provide background in the science and theory of CFT. If you have completed an Introduction to CFT workshop in the past, like us, this requirement is waived.

The training in the 8-week protocol (Part 3) is a 5 day online training using active learning through role plays, discussions, and experiential exercises with a detailed overview of the content and process of all CMT sessions. Our training was conducted by Chris and Charlie. What was most apparent was the diversity of attendees – participants from all over the globe, working in different service types, with varying levels of experience with compassion-based approaches. This speaks to its potential application across a broad range of contexts.

We thoroughly valued the structure and approach that Chris and Charlie provided. They modelled a warm, responsive, encouraging, and compassionate approach – showing us how to be the compassionate facilitators we would need to be in CMT. The training itself was well-supported and structured: we were provided with a facilitator guidelines document and guided through each of the sessions in the CMT program. This included demonstrations, experiential practice and discussion, with role plays regularly woven through the training to help build our confidence to deliver the program to a diverse range of participants. We had plenty of opportunity to ask questions and there was time set aside for participants in similar sectors to brainstorm ways to implement CMT in our local contexts. We also received a full package of resources to deliver the program including PowerPoint slides and participant handouts for each session.

Following the 5-day training, our learning and practice was supported through 8 sessions of group supervision by an experienced CMT facilitator. Not only did it allow us to gain important input on program delivery, it was also an invaluable opportunity to connect with other facilitators and learn from their approaches to delivery and addressing challenges. A CMT facilitators network has been established to support sharing of ideas and answering questions, which adds another layer of compassionate support.

The training is extremely thorough, and it requires a strong commitment in time and resources. Perhaps one of the most difficult parts to manage was the timezone difference for the online training. Being online meant it was more accessible, but attending from Australia it did mean preparing ourselves for some very late nights! Overall, given the support offered and the foundation it provides, it is certainly worth it if you are looking to deliver a CMT program on a regular basis.

For more information visit the Balanced Minds website