Preview of 'Self-Compassion for Past Self' Worksheet
Download this free therapy worksheet PDF to help your clients foster self-compassion by addressing and healing from their past experiences
Self-compassion is an essential component of mental health, yet many individuals struggle with self-criticism, particularly when reflecting on their past. Clients who harbour feelings of shame, regret, or self-hatred about their past selves can find it difficult to move forward and develop a healthy sense of self-esteem.
The Self-Compassion for Past Self Exercise Worksheet is designed to help your client cultivate compassion for their past self, release long-held negative emotions, and embrace a more forgiving and supportive relationship with who they are today.
Work with your client through this exercise and encourage them to confront and reframe their past with kindness through questions such as:
- What past experiences trigger negative self-perception? Identify and discuss specific periods or events that contribute to their current feelings of shame or regret.
- How can self-compassion be applied to past mistakes? Explore the limitations and challenges they faced during difficult times and consider how a compassionate perspective might alter their view of those experiences.
- What positive messages can be conveyed to the past self? Guide your client to write encouraging statements and a letter to their past self, fostering a sense of understanding and forgiveness.
By working through this exercise with your client, you will:
- Facilitate deep discussions about the client’s past, guiding them to explore unresolved issues with empathy and understanding.
- Encourage reflective practices that your client can engage in both during sessions and as homework, promoting ongoing self-compassion and growth outside of therapy.
- Supports the integration of therapeutic techniques such as mindfulness, guided meditation, or hypnosis, enabling your client to experience and internalize positive emotional shifts.
Guide your client toward a more compassionate relationship with their past self and help them heal and grow from their experiences as they cultivate forgiveness, build resilience, and enhance their overall mental health. An editable version of this worksheet is free to members of Uncommon Practitioners’ TV.
Download Self-Compassion for Past Self Worksheet
Use this printable PDF worksheet as a tool to help your client cultivate compassion for their past self, release long-held negative emotions, and embrace a more forgiving and supportive relationship with who they are today.
About Mark Tyrrell
Psychology is my passion. I've been a psychotherapist trainer since 1998, specializing in brief, solution focused approaches. I now teach practitioners all over the world via our online courses.
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