Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
What it is & How It can help with Imposter Syndrome
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an approach developed to support people who struggle with shame, self-criticism, and a deep sense of not feeling good enough. These are often painful, hidden struggles — and CFT helps by building something many of us never learned how to develop: compassion for ourselves.
What is CFT?
At its core, CFT is about helping you understand the tricky ways our brains have evolved to deal with threat, and how that can lead to harsh self-judgment, self-doubt, or difficulty feeling safe in yourself or with others.
The focus is on developing compassion — for yourself and others — and learning how to relate to yourself with greater warmth, understanding, and encouragement. It’s not about making excuses or sugar-coating things, but about responding to your struggles in a way that supports growth rather than keeps you stuck.
How Does CFT Work?
CFT draws on a range of tools to help you build a more compassionate inner world:
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Understanding your threat system — how your brain reacts to perceived danger (including emotional or social threat), and why you might respond with self-criticism or avoidance
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Mindfulness and imagery — practices to help you slow down, connect with your body, and create a sense of safety
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Developing a compassionate inner voice — learning to respond to yourself in the way you might support a friend: with warmth, wisdom, and strength
Many people find this way of working incredibly powerful, especially if they’ve spent years feeling like their inner critic is always in control.
How CFT Helps with Imposter Syndrome, Self-Doubt, and Perfectionism
CFT can be especially helpful if you’re living with a constant sense of not being good enough — even when, outwardly, things look like they’re going well. If you often feel like a fraud, beat yourself up for not being perfect, or feel driven to achieve while secretly doubting your worth, CFT offers something different.
Here’s how:
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Imposter Syndrome: If you often feel like you’re faking it, and worry about being “found out,” CFT helps you explore the shame that can sit underneath those fears. Rather than trying to talk yourself out of the feeling, CFT helps you meet that part of you with compassion — creating more space to feel grounded and real in your achievements.
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Self-Doubt: CFT recognises that self-doubt isn’t a weakness — it’s often a protective strategy rooted in fear of being judged, rejected, or not good enough. CFT supports you in developing a more encouraging and stable inner voice, one that helps you move forward instead of holding you back.
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Feeling Like a Fraud: CFT can help soften the harsh internal standards that fuel this feeling. Instead of striving to “prove” your worth, CFT supports you in connecting with your humanity — that you are already enough, without needing to earn it through overachievement or perfection.
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Perfectionism: Often, perfectionism is a way of coping with fear — fear of making mistakes, being judged, or not feeling acceptable. CFT helps you build a sense of emotional safety and resilience, so you can start letting go of those impossible standards and live in a way that feels more spacious, connected, and meaningful.
If your inner critic is always loud, or you feel stuck in cycles of striving, doubting, or feeling undeserving — Compassion Focused Therapy can help you begin to relate to yourself differently. With time and practice, it becomes possible to treat yourself with the same kindness and care you would offer someone you love.
To learn more about the approach, visit The Compassionate Mind Foundation