Psychotherapy is built on powerful therapeutic relationships, but in order to build such relationships we need to know their elements. The present seminar explores the theory and practice of perspective-taking and its link to compassion as a central core of therapeutic work in modern evidence-based psychotherapy. Drawing especially on relational frame theory, acceptance and commitment therapy, and evolutionary perspectives this seminar will demonstrate the use of perspective taking to construct the kind fo powerful, compassionate therapeutic alliances that are known to promote therapeutic progress and human resilience. The workshop will consist of an explanation of the theory and its empirical basis, experiential exercises, and a video tape of a session with an actual clients, using presentation and commentary.
Keywords: acceptance and commitment therapy; ACT perspective taking; compassion; self-kindness
Objectives
Attendees will learn:
1. To recognize and use the three primary cognitive relations that underlie perspective taking
2. How to increase the social and cognitive basis of perspective-taking and compassion in therapy
3. How to link perspective-taking and compassion to common therapeutic goals
